The Villian One
by selena1715
Summary: Taking a break from Vincent, Cat decides to go undercover after an high school friend of hers, gets arrested for a crime she did not commit. However with a hard job to do and blind anger towards her ex-boyfriend, it wouldn't be without bad concequences.
1. Chapter 1

**Author: That idea came into my mind after I've read a couple stories about VinCat and I have to say that these writers like WriterFreak, soul bond and many others have inspired me to write my own fanfic.**

 **Okay so it takes place a few weeks after Recipe for Disaster from season two.**

 **Catherine wants to take a break from Vincent by going undercover after learning that one of her friends from school had been arrested for a crime she did not commit. However it won't be without bad consequences. Seeking for redemption,Vincent tries to help a old friend and Cat from falling down. Gabe's beast past is exposed when an detective from New Jersey suspects him for Tyler's murder. Tess and JT are getting closer for weird reasons and Tori is no longer the same girl she used to be.**

 **I wanted to write a story about Cat falling or almost falling to the dark side. I know she's a strong woman, but I believe she has her own struggles about the law and her feelings for Vincent too. Remember Tyler? Gabe's first girlfriend? Whatever happened?**

 **...**

 **Prologue.**

Pitch black was all over the place, she couldn't see a thing at all or even remembering on how the hell, she ended up here in this place, dark place to be correct. She could sense that she was sitting on a chair, her hands tied behind and blindfolded. That was certainly not the déjà vu thing, the smell and humidity helped her to realize that she was in fact in one of Mannathan's deepest sewers. But for what reason?

The last thing that Catherine remembered was putting an end to a case that almost made her change into someone that she vowed to never become. A victim. A victim of her own. Which was more worse. She wasn't aware of it, at first, because she had to act like a bad girl, but the symptoms were already there.

What happened to you?

That was the question she often asked to herself when she look up at the mirror or more when Vincent was still angry at her for shooting him and that his beast side had almost took over his soul, his human side, thinking she had betrayed him for her father. Gabe had been there for her, hoping she would learn to move on from Vincent and hoping to share his feelings but it didn't turned out to be that way.

Her heart belonged to Vincent even if she didn't wanted to admit it. _Yes, he had changed, beast or not, he did changed for the better._

Ever since JT's kidnapping and been rescued, Vincent stopped seeing Tori, whom after the near death experience had left her confused for a few weeks, tried to find some comfort into Vincent's arms but much to her shock, he had refused and stayed locked in his houseboat.

He wanted to make amends with her, but Catherine rejected him believing of whatever love they had for each other was gone for good. She was wrong. _What happened to you? Catherine.._

Déjà vu thing? Huh?

 _Vincent...I'm so sorry..._

She wanted to go back to him, she could feel her heart beating up so fast whenever she thinks of him so deeply. It seems like the love she had for him never faded away after all that time. However, the future had other plans for her. Sadly.

Footsteps who were coming at the way, loud steps could be heard splashing up the dirty water. He was here. That monster. He was coming and to get her or more like to _punish her._

Catherine held her breath, trying to remain calm, even if her heartbeat was beating up so fast but in fear, as she felt him behind her, leaning his lips closer to her ear as he whispered;

"Aren't you afraid now, detective?"

...

 **So what do you think? Should I give it a shot? Share me your thoughts!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Present Day..._

 _..._

 _..._

"Looks like coffee did not bring you justice, at all..."Catherine jumped at her partner's voice, Tess, who camed back after giving the report to their captain, about an random case they've just had finished. A day just like any other, anyways. Catherine had let out a huge yawn, for her response.

"Ok, I see it did not affect you at all"followed her partner as she sat on the desk to take a close look at Cat.

"Well, maybe I need more than three cups of coffee to stay awake..."Cat rubbed her eyes to take the unwanted tears away, leaning her back to her chair, tiredly.

"Are you sure, it's only about the coffee, that makes you feel down? or it's just about a guy,that we both know and that we cannot say the name? Like at all..."had tried to guess Tess, crossing up her arms to her chest and gave Cat an unimpressed look. Been caught, Catherine just sighed or more groaned for an answer.

"I guess I have nothing to hide..."

"Cat, are you sure, you're ok?"

"Why, you ask me that?"

"I mean, just look at you! You could look like a female version of that sleepy dwarf from that disney film!"At that, Catherine just shook her head, not getting on whatever Tess was talking about.

"Does not ring any bell to me..." Tess just rolled up eyes, giving up on the 'keeping guessing talk' and got to the point, such as:

"For God's sake! Cat! You're a zombie!"

In fact, Catherine and Tess did not had the time to sleep at all, even after completing twelve cases, to be exact. Tess seemed to be okay, but as for Catherine, not so good. She had black circles under eyes and her hair looked like they really needed a shower and right away. Well, she looked like a mess, like always. Beautiful, but a mess.

"Yeah, that's what it looks like after working on almost twelve cases, to be clear..."had said Cat as she opened up an another file, trying to ignore her intolorant partner who was about to fuss up soon or later.

"Okay, that's enough!"Tess grabbed that file from Catherine's hands who had stared up at her, dumbfonded.

"Tess! What the hell?"She had said as she saw her partner threw up the file, at some officer, who was also yawning, but had woken up in shock, when the file landed on his head. With a thump sound. Must have been an heavy file to examinate.

"Hey Gonzalez! Here's some work for you!" And turned her attention to her partner's dumbfonded look as she said: "You and I need to have a talk, like now!" Before Catherine could even react, Tess grabbed her arm, got her out of her seat and dragged her into the interogation room, unaware of the others officers's weird looks.

"Pff, Diva..."shrugged Gonzalez as he checked the file, when Catherine was being dragged by Tess into the interogation room. When they first came in, Cat had finally broke free from her partner's grasp as she watched Tess closing the door behind them.

"Sit..."

"Seriously, Tess?"

"Just sit, damn it!" Cat did as she was told, she circled the table as she took a sit to a chair, they were for the suspects that were once interrogated in this room when Tess remained still.

"Seriously, Tess, I don't know what's going on..."

"And, you're going to tell me, what's going on!"

"Well, I have no clue..."had said Cat like she had no freakin idea on what Tess was fussing about, but she was wrong-Tess kinda knew her well too much-when she jumped into conclusions like;

"You're sure it's not about Gabe that you're running from? Like using cases to escape, for an example.." That left Catherine annoyed.

"Come on, Tess, do you really think I've put a guy into all this?"

"Well, that wouldn't be the first time...You look really tired Cat and I know it when I see it..."

"It's just the long hours on the job, that's all and by the way, we almost got our asses kicked if we did not work hard enough on these twelve cases, so maybe you should thank me for-"

"What about Vincent?" That just stopped Catherine from making up excuses. She looked up at Tess, dumbfounded, however her partner who was trying to act like some bad cop style, even if she failed to look like one, wasn't impressed when she saw the look on Cat's face.

"It's about Vincent, right? He's the reason of why, you've been so focused on these twelve cases non-stop? Right?" When Tess heard nothing from Cat, she knew that she was right in one point.

"Tess.."

"It's him, right?"

A lot of things had changed ever since JT's kidnapping and the fact that Tori almost had died trying to save him and if it wasn't for Catherine, she wouldn't even be here today. She thought she could ever and forever hate the red haired girl after stealing the man of her life, but at the end, Tori was just a victim and she wasn't aware of the bad influence that she was giving to Vincent.

 _You belong with Vincent, you make him feel more alive than he ever was with me.._

Her words were stuck into her mind, like a plague. Still, she saved her from death's doors, just like when she had rescued Gabe whom had woken up without any beast blood in him. She heard Vincent coming back into the dungeon, after making sure his best friend was safe, to find Tori, she thought. However things did not turned out that way. He was screaming her name. Hers.

 _Catherine!_

She had look up from Tori to see him coming in the place, trying to catch his breath as he was looking at her, almost like unbelieving the fact that she was here and safe.

 _She has a small pulse, we have to call an ambulance, Vincent!_

At that moment, their eyes had met, like Tori wasn't in the picture and Cat kinda hoped it wasn't real, but it was. Somehow, the old Vincent was back, he was here and before her eyes, like he had never left. No words could tell, but the heart knew better. The wanting to go back to him and kiss him were still there. It wasn't fair.

Oh no, not now, please.

Tess just sighed as Catherine rubbed her temple, she was using work to escape her feelings toward Vincent and trying to ignore them by going out with Gabe, which did not work.

After a few dates, ever since valentine's day, Gabe had suggested that she should move in with him by giving a copy of his key. Catherine was quite surprised by this sudden gesture, but had declared that she wasn't ready move with him and added that they should take things slowly, before rushing things like commitment. Gabe tried not to look disappointed, but he understood. He was hurt inside. He knew she needed time to adjust, but he still sounded hurt when he said;

 _It's because of him, right?_

However, what came later, sounded far different from hurt.

 _You shouldn't let Vincent control your heart, or even interfiere your life, Catherine..._

 _It's nothing like that, Gabe, I just need time...Maybe, I'm not ready yet.._

 _Ready for what?_

 _I don't know! All I know, it's that I need some time.._

Everything was a total mess. Vincent, Gabe, Tori, Bob Reynolds, her own mother and not to forget that 'so called mystery thing about the fact that her anscestor Rebbeca Reynolds, was somehow involved into these unsolved murders cases. Rumored, that the killer was in fact a _beast._

God. Would she ever get a break, from all that mess?

"Looks like the cat is out the bag in here..."had said Tess waking her partner up from her thoughts, who shrugged at the end.

"Tess, it's not you, it's me, okay? It's just...a lot things had happened lately and it's a mess..."tried to explain Catherine.

"Including two guys..."

"Yes and no, I mean I don't even know where I stand now with Vincent, ever since that day in the dungeon, the way we had left things out, I just can't describe it..."She followed looking back Tess, who was now sitting on the chair in front of her, trying to understand her words.

"Just try me.."

"One day, he was angry at me for destroying everything we had tried to manage from falling down and now, I felt like that nothing of that had happened, it's like he came back, after all that time...And that makes me..."

"Angry?"

"Angry and upset, like a part of me wants to go back to him and another that wants to stay out of it, for good..."

Somethimes, she just wanted to punch Vincent for making her feel these hurtful emotions.

"More like your dad's talking, you mean.."Cat just groaned in frustruation, she did not want to bring her dad or more like Bob into this pep talk.

"You can say that too..." She just wanted to forget everything at all and concentrate on her life, but that means letting everything that she fought so hard go.

Meaning like letting Vincent go out from her life, but was she willing to let him go?

"And Gabe, in all this?"added Tess, crossing her arms to her chest as she leaned to her chair, Cat just rolled up her eyes.

"I thought I could go on, with Gabe I mean, he's a nice, fantastic person and human being and I appreciate the fact that he's been there for me, when I was feeling down, mostly after the shooting thing, but..."

"You felt it was too much to bear..."had cut Tess right in the middle.

"I said I just needed some time before starting a new relationship with a guy, like I need some break, but I don't know, I feel that pressure all over, like Gabe is waiting for me, at the next door, you know?"Tess just made a weird face at that point.

"Like he's watching you sleeping from your window?" She asked as she watched Cat's expression change into horror, almost her jaw fell down.

"Tess!"

"Sorry! It's just the thought you gave me made me go all into mary-sue chick falling into some stupid vampire shit stuff, no offense!"She justicifed herself before laughing at her partner's shocking stare.

"Gabe never did that! That's kinda creepy Tess! And I'm not patthatic and stupid girl like you know who!"tried to reply Cat in a warning manner, but failed, when she followed her best friend's laughter. Oh God, sharing a good laugh had felt so good. It's been a long time.

"You're really sick in the head! Tess!"

"The laughter is always the medecine, no matter what!"

"Cat, I know that you're stronger than that, so why the worry?"had added Tess, trying to calm down when Catherine wipped off the so unwanted tears falling from her eyes.

"I don't know, maybe, ever since we all got Vincent back from Murfield, I've been trying to help him, like a lot, that I did not have the time to think about myself, Tess. All I ever thought was getting him back to his feet, helping him to regain his memories, our memories, that love we once had for each other. That went in a good way,for a while, but Tori had came..And.."

"So you blame the ex-female beast, now?" Catherine just shook her head, not knowing how to deal with the situation when it's about Tori;

"Maybe, but you have to remember that it wasn't her choice to be born as a beast or to be awaken without having one now.."

"And I believe Gabe came along in the picture, hoping to get something in return..."

"I believe so...Tell me, why guys have to be so complicated?"she said letting a long sigh of defeat. Tess just shrugged.

"Don't know about that, it's usually the other way around, as they say. What? You want to turn yourself into girls now?" Catherine just stretched her arms, like she never had the time to do it.

"No, maybe I just need some fresh air, you know, like out of the city for a while..."she said as got up from her chair and tried to not to grin at her partner's face.

"And I am not into girls, Tess, so don't get any ideas! By pairing me up with next girl you know, on the street!"She went up to the door as Tess followed up her step and look up at Cat, but being serious this time.

"Cat, you would tell me if something is bothering you, right?"At that point, Catherine looked up to her partner's eyes and figured out that Tess was also worried for her, fearing that she might lose it, one day or another. All that time searching for Vincent, Catherine, who was so into trying to rescue him, was unware of the comments that others cops were giving behind her back or that she might end up like Joe, their ex-boss, for an example. Neglecting her own duties at the departement, for a personal matter.

"Yes, I will, don't worry about me, Tess, I just need to figure this out, on my own.."

"Good, because you really need to lighten a bit, take a break, you know?"had asked Tess as she opened up the door for both of them.

"It's ok, really, I'm doing fine, Tess, no need to worry..."But, she felt Tess wasn't done talking with her yet.

"You know what? It's been a while since we didn't hang out as single ladies, we should go out for a beer"As they walked back to their desk, Catherine stopped her tracks causing Tess to turn back to her.

"Out for a beer, really?"

"Yeah, it's a way to drown our sorrows away, you know?"

"So, it's a date, Vargas?"

"Don't hit on me, Chandler! Or you'll be disappointed!" At that, the girls just laughed before going back to work. A few minutes later, after their conversation, when Catherine was checking her e-mails, Tess couldn't help, but feel worried about her best friend's behavior. Catherine was always considerated like a tough one, but the break-up thing with Vincent had almost left her in pieces and even if she didn't want to admit it, Tess was kinda worried that she would lose it again.

...

"Now, is not the time to talk Hendricks, I have some work to do now.."had said a man with a heavy portuguese accent as he continued to walk on the haunted streets of New York, when he rather had wanted to stay at home and not to have the FBI behind his back. And at the middle of the night also. He was on the phone, talking with the devil himself.

 _"Come on! Medina! You owe me something at least, I just want you to put someone into interogation, since I can't do it..."_

"Don't bullshit me, I'm working on a case right now..."Actually, he was working on a missing case along with his partner Cheng Nguyen, another cop with two years younger than him, since two years now. Tyler Stevenson was the case they were working on at the moment and she's been missing for a very long time.

"I'm working on a missing case, at the moment as we speak..."

 _"But why does the NJSP departement has to do with this case?"_

"Why, do you even want to know?"he asked as he looked at left and at right watching young officers doing their research, while he was having a chat with FBI Agent, Brian Hendricks.

 _"Never mind, the only thing I want from you is to track Bob Reynolds's daughter, Detective Catherine Chandler and force her to make her speak..."_

"Why can't you just do the job?"

 _"Because, I have tried to make and force her to speak and.."_

"For what?"had cut Medina as he stopped his tracks and stared up at his watch, thinking how much time he has to go through with this.

 _"For the arrest of her father, I felt like she was hidding something very important and that makes me so mad at the same time and since, I was retired from the case by force from my boss, I just cannot help it..."_

"And what am I supposed to do in it?"

 _"Open up the case, Medina, you and I both know why we want to bring justice to those who need it far more than anybody else..."_

"And your point is?"

 _"Just try to pick up where I left off...And I won't bother you again..Try to make Chandler speak, force her even and don't lose track of her until she admits that she is hidding something or someone like..You know, you're good at it.."_ Were the last words that the young detective had heard until he heard his partner scream his name.

"Look, I have to go now, we'll end this chat later, old guy..."he hang up and rushed to find his partner who was waiting for him, at the entrance of some abandoned house. Where a body laid to be _found..._

...

 **Okay, that's it for today, I know it's short, but I'll try to update as soon as I can. What do you think Hendricks is up to? What's gonna happen to Cat? By the way, happy New Year!**


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks **for the support everyone!**

 **If you think that Vincent is gonna have it easy, then you're wrong and no, chapter three is not an error, it's Vincent's dream at the begining and a little spoiler from the future. So, I'm sorry to those who believed it was chap two.**

 **...**

Pain was everywhere, he could feel it. He couldn't see anything because of the pitch black, but he could hear all the whiplashes slaming his back. His hands suspended and tied up with a solid cord hanging up at the air, Vincent felt his strength vanishing on its own like screams were coming out. His own screams. The beast was dying inside of him, he couldn't get him out like it was supposed to in tough situations like these.

It wasn't the person who was throwing whiplashes, tearing up the flesh of his back that was making him weak, it was something else. Vincent squeezed his eyes shut as his fists were tighten up, like they were the ones in pain.

However, that pain wasn't that worse than any pain when it came to Catherine, since he had _believed_ that he had lost her. Ever since that day in the dungeon, he felt different, it's like all the emotions he tried to forget, were all coming back in one piece because of Catherine. Before, they went to their separate ways, he had said something that if things were reversed, it would have been difficult, way terrible for him to endure someone's death. Excpecially, someone very close to you.

 _I don't know what I would do, if something happened to you too.._

If Catherine had been in Tori's place, he was sure for one thing; he wouldn't survive it, couldn't even bear it, if that would ever happen in the near future.

He wanted to go back to her, however he needed some space, both of them, needed space from each other, in order to figure out who they were, outside from the life couple. The couple they were, in another life before all that fiasco happened, before he was taken by Catherine's biological father, had changed.

They have changed, sadly.

They tried to go back to the way they were, however with the missions he was told to do by Reynolds and his struggle to not lose his humanity and trying regain his memories was just like a rushing road altogether. And then, Tori had came into the picture, not that was her fault, but her beast senses had tried to drive him mad, changing him into a animal, losing control and make him become more of a beast than the man he was. When Catherine had shoot him as he was on the verge to kill her father, everything went mad to him, he felt like she had betrayed him by choosing her father. However that's what he used to believe.

 _"I chose right over wrong..."_

 _"Your father tried to kill me!"_

 _"I couldn't let you kill him!"_

 _"So you shoot me, instead?"_

 _"Do you think, I wanted to?"_

He could have sworn, that he had seen her trying to hold her frustrating tears back from falling. He hated to see her cry, expecially when he was the cause of her tears and anger. She left him after they were done and even after he was close enough to fall down, she came back, a few hours later to save his butt. However, after a few days of avoiding each other and even when he felt 'jealous' when he saw her kissing with some random guy, they tried to make up, after she was being held up in hostage with Tess, Dana, the FBI Agent and Tori. They re-started as a team, like old times. He even started to feel that the anger of the beast was fading away, as they spend some time together, as friends. Sure thing, but Tori kinda knew better, she felt a little envious whenever he laid eyes on the brunette cop, but had decided to shut herself up, instead.

Things got a little complicated when JT got kidnapped and when Tori, who went to his rescue, had almost died from 'bleeding out' away to make other beasts experiements. JT had refused but his kidnapper did forced him, unless he could also join Tori into the grave. Vincent didn't got there in time to save the toubled red head girl, but Catherine did. When he came into the dungeon, all he ever did was staring at her, not Tori, but Cat, she was alright, he thought. He remembered screaming her name.

 _Catherine!_

 _She has a small pulse, we have to call an ambulance, Vincent!_

She was here, strong and okay. The light through the darkness, she was his light. He felt so relieved to know that she was alright, feeling his heart bursting out of alleviation. His cure. His everything. His love...

 _'I don't think it ever went away, not for a single second, the love that I have for Catherine is still here with me..Still strong like always...'_

As Catherine looked up to him, he guessed that she was sharing his thoughts as well as their eyes connected, but that moment was interrupted once Tori was taken to medic care.

The dream was still shaken and broken. Ever since that day, from the day when she had shot him, Vincent had blamed Catherine for destroying everything, but he did in deed caused everything and he was now paying the price.

'How does it feels, Keller? Feel the pain? Huh? How did it felt for you to kill my cousin Zhao? in cold blood? Were you satisfied?'had asked the voice behind him, anger and hate was in that tone.

For an answer, Vincent just coughed up blood. He had failed everything, one of his friends was condanmed for good, even Catherine had chose another path, a terrible path to live. So what was the point to live on? Better die, anyways. He bend his head down, in defeat.

 _What happened to you? Catherine..._

'HOW DID IT FELT KELLER? KILLING MY COUSIN LIKE THE MONSTER YOU ARE!'

 _Vincent!_

And then, there was nothing...

 _..._

The next morning.

 _"What? You want me so sing him a freaky disney song, as a wake-up call? Are you nuts?"_ Tess just winced in pain at the caller on her phone; JT Forbes, of course, not the wake-up call you want to face with it. She just collapsed on her chair, not carrying about the mess of files that was almost about to fall from her desk.

"Hey, what I am supposed to do in all this? It's Vincent's mess! Not mine or Cat's! Ouch!"

 _"Gee, are you okay? You sound like you had an hangover or something..."_

"Urgh! Don't remind me, I'd rather had stayed in my bed and die already!.."

 _"Why? You and Cat had it too much, or you probably end up with her, instead..."_ That made Tess slap her desk, causing a few eyes to look up at her.

"If I was Magneto, JT, I would have you killed by now!"had said Tess raising up her voice a little louder which she had regretted, later on.

Like they had planed; she and Cat had gone out to a bar as singles ladies, to have a good time between girls, no talking about guys or even red heads that were trouble makers such as Alex and Tori. However, things did not go so well later on. After a few shots, don't know how many she had drank, but Catherine had witnessed a couple that were fighting for who knows why for what reason, but still, drunk or not, Catherine walked or tried to not fall on her footsteps as she was walking to their table. As for Tess, she was laughing so hard at that scene; watching a drunk Cat doing some awsome kick-boxing moves with her favorite high heels until the guy dropped on the floor like a doll. The next morning, both Cat and Tess had woken up with the biggest headache they had in years.

"Look, I'm sorry for shouting like that, it's not only the hangover thing that makes me mad, it's Cat, she's not answering her phone and she's quite late by now..." She just hoped that her partner would spare her alive, whenever she'll come in.

 _"Well, that happens often after a few shots, you know?"_ had replied JT on the phone as he knocked on Vincent's houseboat's door, as Tess had heard on the line.

"No, it's not that, it's just that as I was walking in, I could have heard two cops talking with Ward about Gabe, in his office.."

 _"Well, it's not like Tori trying to get into someone's houseboat place and try to get Big Buy into falling with her, you know?"_

"I'm serious, JT, there's two cops from New Jersey in here and talking with Captain Ward by now and my brain thinks it's about Gabe..."

 _"I thought Magnetto had killed you off last night?"_ Tess just rolled her eyes at that remark and looked upstairs where Captain Ward was talking with two cops, one asian and the other an european one. Tess smelled trouble coming in. One of them was quite familiar to her, hoping it's not an ex-boyfriend.

 _"What could they possibly want do with Gabe, anyway?"_ Tess just turned her attention away and rubbed her temples as she replied;

"Remember that girl that was giving him pills to control his beast from exploding?"

 _"Tyler, the tall and blond one,I guess, why?"_

"I believe they have found her...but in not such good shape..."

 _"Meaning?"_

"My guts is telling me, that's she's been found dead...I believe that Gabe is in trouble and not him only, but all of us are in it too..."She could have heard JT gulp, at that sentence.

 _"But didn't Reynolds had mentionned that he had killed her? I mean he confessed for the crimes he made when Cat arrested him.."_

"Don't know if he had killed her or not, however, all I know is that we're all in trouble, Captain Ward is speaking with them as we speak..."

 _"O holy crap! I've got to tell Vincent! He has to know about that too! Expecially, we were the last two persons to have seen Tyler!"_ She just wriggled at that answer.

"Don't say a word about the case! JT, not everything is clear yet, we still don't know if it's Tyler's body or someone else!"

 _"But you said it's Gabe's ex-girlfriend!"_ That's it, he was starting to freak out already! Tess was about to lose patience as she groaned at this.

"They haven't come up with an ID yet, all they have is a body, not Tyler's, but my guts is telling me that it might be hers...so keep your mouth glued for now on..."

 _"Remember this; Big Guy has a good and big hearing. Let's just say, it's gonna be hard for me to lie in his face..."_

"Look! I don't know, okay? Just try to get him out of bed and hang out with him, try to keep him focused and away from the case! I'll try to update Gabe, he has to know what's going on..."

 _"I don't know if I can get him out of bed, Tess, he's quite messed up at the moment as we speak..."_ Tess could hear JT scowling on the phone. Ever since that day in the dungeon, Vincent had locked himself into his houseboat for weeks now. Away from everyone, from Cat and Tori also. It's gonna be a challenge to get him out now. Not only Catherine was in a mess, Vincent was in his own and trapped cage too.

 _"How about Cat? I mean, she'd like to know soon or later..."_

"Look, Cat has enough problems for now, so I think, that now is not right time to tell her about Tyler, but if they ever start to get suspicious and I mean 'them', maybe I would..."

Or maybe, she just wants to stay away from beasts or more from a certain guy named Vincent Keller. Concentrate on her own well being, wouldn't be a crime, no?

"And that means, staying away from you and beast-guy for a while from now on, cause I don't think she can handle another metldown, I'm kinda worried, you know?"had added Tess back hoping JT would get the message of leaving my best friend alone and keep your buddy away from her, or I can kill him with an ax blade. He just sighed.

 _"Whatever you say, oh! By the way, maybe we should talk about last night..."_

"Sorry JT, I have to go now!"had cut Tess in time before Vincent's best friend could follow the conversation.

...

"Hey! Tess!"had tried to call the young professor and Vincent Keller's best friend at his phone, until he got cut out. He stared at his phone as he sighed in defeat.

"Women.."he mumbled to himself as he knocked on Vincent's door again, but still there was no answer. He knew that Vincent had wanted to stay away from everyone and took all the blame for himself, even Tori had tried to come in, but he wouldn't let her in this time. JT thought it was because of the crazy hormones she had, but ever since the attack at the dungeon, Tori hadn't transformed at all, it's like she was an normal human person, for the very first time.

The beast in her had died, just like Gabe's. But, what's normal, anyways?

Not even Catherine came to see him, maybe she felt that JT was deceived by her and had decided to take her distances away from him. Well, he decided to take sides with his best friend instead listening to Cat. True, he was upset that she had shot Vincent and decided to go away from him, both of them. Only, by trying to save him from falling into his beast side. However, JT did not knew that reason, until now. And Tess, in all this? It's too much complicated.

"Me and my big mouth..."He knocked again and still no answer came through the door. He did not made all the way up to Vincent's houseboat for nothing! In this cold weather.

"Hey Vincent! Open up!"

...

 _I'm almost there! Just making a quick stop at II Cantancio! Hang in there! CAT XP_

"Hey, Vargas! You're all grown up now and quite lookin'!"

Tess almost had spit her coffee out when she heard someone calling out her name and that person sounded so familiar. She wheeled around at that dark haired man standing in front of her with his hands in his long and heavy black coat's pockets.

"What are you doing here, Medina?" The man in question just shrugged, playing innoncent.

"Me? Come on, you and I come from a long way of time, can't believe that you just forgot! And by the way, where's your partner, Chandler?" Closing up her phone, Tess just stood up to face the young and playful detective with a frown.

"Seriously, Medina, what are you doing here?"

"Okay, Okay, you've got me in! I'm here working on a case with my partner.."He surrunded himself, hands up at air, in a good mood.

"What case? exactly?"

"Missing case, to be correct and I believe that your ADA, Lowan, I think, has something to do with it..."

"Intriguing, why do you think that?" Medina just sighed at that.

"Because, dear Tessy, we have found a body, a frozen one, actually, and my guts is telling me that, or what's left of it, may be Tyler Stevenson's body..."He had added, staring up at the brunette cop whose heart had started to beat up in fear. Fear to be caught.

...

 **Don't worry, I'll bring up the other characters in the next chap and don't think for a second that Medina is gonna give up about giving Gabe and Cat some serious trouble, cause he might do give some shit, later on. And for Vincent? You'll see soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**So, let's try this way; I had fixed up chapter three now, twice, at least. So, don't come up and tell me it's an error, because it isn't. So, I'm sorry to those who believed it was. To clearify, I was a bit drunk that day! (Laughs!)**

 **(Sighs)**

 **Okay, here comes chapter four...**

 **...**

"Why are you looking at me, like that?" Tess just had blinked at Medina's question, after she remained quiet at his revelation. The fact that he and his partner had found Gabe's late girlfriend, Tyler's body, at some haunted house.

 _'Hope it's not that house, where Gabe had Cat all held up in hostage, once...'_

Once before, Gabe wasn't the same man as he is today, but she still do remember that night when he had kidnapped Catherine and had held her, against her will, at that haunted house.

To get to Vincent, by killing the most precious and close person to him to bring him down, for once and for all. To get him the cure that he so needed to have, a life for a life, as they always say. However, Gabe was quite pretty nuts, back then.

"Tess?" Medina's voice had brought her back to reality, she looked up at him, trying to not spill all the details about Gabe's past.

"What makes you say, that you guys have found Tyler Stevenson's body?" She challenged him as he sighed.

"Because, pictures are worth like a hundred thousand words, you know?" The tall dark haired man had replied, not taking his sight away from her.

"Like, do you have proof?" Like she had ever seen Tyler before, which she hasn't at all.

"Don't even need to ask..." With that, he handed her two pictures from his coat and had showed them both, up to her face. Tess furrowed her eyes at this view. Two pictures were the only and one person. The one at the left was representing an beautiful and bright blond and blue eyed girl in her graduate blue robe, holding her diploma, promising for a bright future. What a smile! Her parents must have been very proud of her, at that time.

However, it wasn't the same thing as for the other picture. That bright and beautiful blond girl looked more paler and frozen, like someone had been keeping her in some freezing machine to keep her body from getting decomposed as it should, for who knows how long. Scars were on her shoulders,one on both cheeks, marks on her neck, her blond hair had lost her color's brightness. Her eyes shut. Those ghostly and purple lips that wouldn't probably never smile again to life and to love.

"Where did you find her? Anyway?"

"At some haunted palace, I believe, looked pretty old, we found her; lying inside of some fridge..Quite remarkable, that her body didn't started to decompose, till now.." The hell? What?

"How long was she trapped in there?" In that thing?

"I don't know, maybe from five to six months, I guess someone wanted to try MJ's ageless machine and used her body to try it...but I'm just joking.." Science is just weird, as it gets sometimes, Tess just shook her head.

Tyler, a woman, like Catherine whom had sacrificed everything for the man she loved had found death, in the most horrible way. Let's just hope that Cat won't end up like that, but, it never did happen, because she broke up with Vincent, so why the worry? Her attention went back to the man standing before her eyes.

"They look very real in person, than in pictures, you know?" He raised his eyebrows at this question, refering to the scars.

"Do you know the time of death?" Tess just followed the usual procedure, ignoring Medina's question about the disturbing scars on the victim's frozen body.

"Gunshot,three or four times from what I believe ..."

"Who asked for a search warrant?"

"Her parents, when they haven't heard a word from her, they grew worried and started to bug us with the missing stuff, a few months ago..."

"Quite frozen and clues undeterminated, I believe?"She crossed her arms against her chest, demanding to know more about Tyler's death.

"We're still waiting for the med examiner to finish his own job out there, so we can know more about.."he popped his head at the autopsy room. Tess or Cat were unaware about a new med examiner coming over to take Evan Marks's place after being busy with covering up Vincent and JT's asses from the public. Time flies so fast, sometimes that she hadn't noticied at all.

"Then, why are you here?" The guy just looked up at her, making up an wide-opened up reaction at that question, but not suprised, anyway.

"And, why do you need to ask?"

"Don't fool me around, Medina, I know when you're up to something..."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, so, just spit it out!" At that, the dark haired man just chuckled at her impatience.

"What's so funny?" To answer her question, Medina just sat on the edge of the woman's desk and decided to wobble the answer;

"Oh, Tessy, you are the one that makes me laugh, you know?"he replied as he followed with this; An summary of the case.

"Let's just say that, Miss Stevenson used to live, most of her life, back at New Jersey and was quite close to her parents and even after she moved in Manhattan, they've kept in touch with each other, until she met this quite awkward guy, good looking guy to be exact...A certain Gabriel Lowan, if I'm correct..."

"Okay, keep going..."had said Tess, not quite sure if she should believe of whataver Medina has to say, he sighed as he followed;

"Anyways, to make it simple than hard enough to clear it; both of them started to get along and decided to date, but living an ADA wasn't so easy..."

"What do you mean, by 'Not so easy' ?"

"You know what I mean, Tessy. Stress, is the word. They both had ups and downs in their relationship because of their jobs and it was quite physical sometimes..."He dropped the pictures on the desk.

"Physical, such as an physical relationship with sex only?"had cut Tess in the middle, as a joke, but Medina wasn't snickering this time.

"Physical as he was abusing her, Vargas, and I mean, not only verbally..."At that, Tess started to believe that he wasn't kidding around this time. Gabe, an abuser? Maybe in a very beastly mood, but that was back at the past.

"Be clear...So you're saying that Tyler was being abused?"

"Let's just say, that your ADA left a few marks on her..."He shrugged his shoulders at that.

And Medina rarely lies, about cases and facts from his point of view and she knows that, true thing.

"If you're asking yourself of how I got all these informations, just ask the defunt's mother and you'll know..."

"How would you know if it's the ADA? I mean do you have any proof that explains that he's responsible?"defended Tess, not believing a crap, at all.

"Why, do you even ask? If you have the answer before your eyes, Tessy, you'd know..."

"Know what?" She raised up her voice, getting tired of his stupid questions, but Medina didn't say a word for that.

"Hey Tess! Sorry I'm late!"Catherine's calling had stopped their conversation, just time when Tess was starting to feel uneasy about Medina's answers and questions about Tyler and Gabe's past relationship. Medina turned his head to Tess's partner, looking at her, from up and down. Catherine ran to her partner holding two cups of fresh cappuccino from their favorite coffee place. Cat looked a bit better from yesterday, physically, at least.

"Cat! Really?"

"What? I haven't set up my alarm clock and I had woken up late! Things like that happens alot to everyone..."she had started to explain, until she felt two pair of hazel eyes staring up and down at her back. Turning at Tess's desk, there was a man around his mid thirties, quite in good shape enough, staring at her, like capting her up in a picture. He looked tired and pissed from his features. He had mid-long brown but dark hair that fell down on his neck, a neatly trimmed beard that he must very take care of. He wore darker clothes, including that long and very black coat on his back, like he was sort of a new Batman type person. He looked like he was up to something. Like bad things are about to happen soon.

"Tessy, you don't do the honors, anymore?"he had asked, shifting up his eyes from Cattherine to an sighing Tess. She pointed him as she looked up to an very supscious Cat, who stared up at her back, in wonder.

"Cat, that old fat frog's name is Medina. Detective Santiago Medina from New Jersey, Medina, that's my partner and best friend, Detective Catherine Chandler..."At that, Medina just made a face, like he was disgusted by being introduced in that kind of way.

"Seriously, Tessy? I'm not fat and not even old enough, so cut that part, please? Have some respect..."Just as Cat wanted to reply, Tess cut that pleasure.

"Respect? You can kiss my ass as you're in it!"she booed at him before turning to her confused partner; "Don't ever listen to him, Cat, that guy would only give you trouble!"

"Trouble? What kind of trouble? It wasn't my fault that you fell in that pool..."

"Balloon pool! You said it was suitable and smooth enough for me to fall without any injury!" Still confused, Cat turned to the sitting cop who just let out;

"Tessy just broke her arm that day, when she and some other cop had managed to negotiate some depressed guy to get down from his misery...Turned out she hancuffed him and fell down with him, also..."

"Tess?" eyed Catherine back to the other brunette girl besides her, who kept accusing Medina.

"I broke my arm, that day and it wouldn't have happened if that jerk had warned about..."she exploded back at his face.

"That stupid balloon pool! I get it! Okay? Besides, I'm not here just to fight about about the past, I'm here, because the NJSP police departement has collaborate with the NYPD because of this stupid case! What else can happen to me now?"he exploded back as he raised up his arms at air, exhausted by all this, until his phone had started to vibrate in his coat. Just great!

"Collaborate? Tess, what's the meaning of this?"whispered Catherine back to her partner, Tess just mounted her to hush as she popped at the other cop's direction. Trying to be polite, Catherine just stared at him.

"Excuse me, laidies..."he said, trying to calm down as he took his phone out from his pocket to check his e-mails. However, he wasn't so pleased, at the announcer's answer.

 _"So, did you find Chandler? Start working right now or I'll have your ass for dinner! Medina!"_

Geez, Hendricks would never give him a break, uh? He rolled up his eyes in frustration. He looked up at the two laidies who were watching him, very closely. He sat up on his feet, saying;

"Sorry, I have to go, my partner texted and I have to make sure that he doesn't get lost...around here..."

He made that up, covering Hendricks's message. Now that he had met Tess's partner and best friend, that mysterious and quite beautiful, Catherine Chandler to be honest, he has to be careful and very careful around.

Just keep on focusing on proving that Lowan is guilty and I'll manage Chandler, later...He thought.

"So, anyway, it was a pleasure to meet you Detective Chandler and I think, I'll see you soon, Tessy?"he followed as Tess just frowned at his face, when Cat just waved at him with a forced smile. Medina turned away from them, sighing as he was walking back to the med examiner's office. Making sure the other cop left, Catherine asked Tess for an explanation;

"Who was that?" Tess just groaned as she sat down on her chair, tired, but not from last night, from Medina's coming into the picture.

"Trouble, that guy is anything but trouble, I'm telling ya..."she rubbed her temple.

"Oh, I can see that and like I said, I'm sorry for being late, after...you know about last night.." had said Cat, dropping her coat on her chair and gave her partner, one of the cappucino cups, which she accepted by relief. And that hangover thing? Never again!

"Mmm...Well, that's what I call some real coffee, thanks alot!"

"No probs, and I've been thinking about what we've had talked yesterday, and I've considered about taking a few days off..."had announced Catherine as she sat behind her desk before Tess who just stared up at her, dumbfounded, or more panicked at that answer. Too much cafeine for Tess is bad. Cat just gulped when she saw her partner's eye twitching;

"Few days off? Like where are you going? You can't just leave me here with Medina!"

"No offense, Tess, but leaving Manhattan to see my little sister in Florida, would do me a big favor, like open up into a few others things around, you know?"

"You can't leave me, here, Cat!" Realizing she was panicking over her answer about taking a vacation, Catherine had raised up her hands, letting her know to calm down. Like, don't make a scene, please!

"Relax! I'm not moving in Florida! I'm just taking a few weeks off, to clear off my mind..."

"Well, I don't wanna to bust your bubble, but I think that you'll have to put your 'vacation plan' aside, for a moment..."had said Tess as she took the two pictures and threw them at Cat's desk and followed;

"Because, we are in trouble..." Catherine took the pictures and frowned at the dead girl.

"Who is that?"

"That, my dear friend is or was Tyler, Gabe's ex-girlfriend, that turns out to be dead..." That stopped Catherine for a moment. Gabe's late girlfriend is dead? After all this time?

"That's Tyler? That blond girl at the picture?"

"Well, I've never met her, but Medina proclaims that's her, in those pictures..."she answered as Cat raised her head up at her, giving her the look of she wanted to know more about Gabe's late girlfriend... "The CSU had found a body inside of some haunted palace last night and it turns out to be an certain Tyler Stevenson, a missing girl, according to Medina, I believe, but I don't know all the details..." Better skip the fridge part, for now. But knowing Catherine, she'll know the details, very soon.

"Where's the body?"

"Autopsy room, the new med examiner is about to find out soon what happened to her and we'll know if it's the real and only girl that we know but never had met...you know, what I mean?"

"Oh God..."Shocked by those news, Catherine shook her head, she couldn't believe what was happening now.

"I know, Medina believes it's her, but that's not the only thing we should be worried about..."

"What else? Do you know?" At that, Tess just gulped, she didn't want to bring up JT or Vincent into this mess or even to Cat. Bringing an old flame into the problem was the last thing she wanted. "Tess?"

"A few minutes, before you and Medina came over, I was talking with JT about the missing case and Tyler's body. And he told me that he and Vincent were the last persons to have seen Tyler alive, before she disappeared from their sight and Gabe could end up in trouble also..."Eyes widened in anger, Catherine just looked up at Tess, dropping the pictures as she was about to lash out;

"Damn, you're now saying that JT and Vincent are suspected, because they were the last ones to have seen Tyler alive? Really? Tess? You've got to be kidding me!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I believe it's the truth..." Her partner just shrugged, as if it wasn't her fault, in all this.

"Where's Gabe now? I mean he should be the first to know about Tyler.."Trying to calm down, Catherine looked around her, hoping that no one heard about whatever she just said and out loud.

"Been trying to reach him, but he doesn't respond to his phone...Do you think he's trying to avoid you?"

"I don't know..." To be fair, ever since they had brought up Vincent into their last conversation, Catherine had felt guilty about the way she left things with Gabe. And now, Vincent is back on being called 'suspected' for murder again, after the Curt Windsor's failed resurrection and snatching up his still beating up heart, Catherine wondered if Vincent had second thoughts of the way they both handled things together then. If he finally had decided to take the law on his hands? On his own way? Was he becoming more of a beast than of a man, the man she used to have feelings for. But that was before they knew about Tori's influence on him and how he choosed his beast side over his humanity and also over the love and trust they used to have together. Once in another lifetime.

And it wasn't Tori's fault. It was all him choosing his monster side, over them, but still, she doesn't hold that red head girl very close to her heart. A part of her was still in rage.

However, things are different now. He seems to get his life back on track, he's no longer angry at her, anymore, like he almost had forgot the reason of why he was in rage with her. But what about her? In all this? Does she also have the right to be angry at him, still? What about the feelings she has for him, right now at the moment? Does she still loves him?

No. They were done. They had moved on. They were clear on that point. She shouldn't be thinking about him now.

That guy is out somewhere, locked in his houseboat like a prison and still makes her go nuts. That freaking and rushing heartbeat really needs to stop, ARGH!

"That's not healthy, at all..."she mumbled on her own.

"Huh? Cat, did you just growl at me?"had asked Tess, stunned as her partner had let out an long and desparate sigh.

"Go and find that new kid in the block, while I'll try to talk to Gabe..." She made up an decision, bringing up the cop mood.

"Hum, Cat...There's Medina at there..." Tess wasn't so sure about working with the New Jersey cop or even joining him in the autopsy room.

"Look, what can we do? It's not only his case, okay? It's an NJSP's case and we have no choice but to collaborate with them, whatever if Tyler was from New York or New Jersey citizen. Wethever if you like that guy or not..We have no choice, Tess.."had cut Catherine taking her phone from her coat and tried to find Gabe's phone number.

"You really wanna to do this? Cat? Now?" The interest in the place looked up from her phone and frowned at her partner.

"Look, I'm not in the mood, either and it's not only because I woke up late with that stupid hangover this morning, I just want to end this mess right now before it gets into us, you know what I mean?"

"Bad Karma, maybe?" Or maybe she just wants to protect all of them from getting exposed after what happened last year. From those events, I guess had thought Tess.

"And, from getting exposed too."had added Cat and followed " And now, just go and see that girl's body if she's the Tyler we're talking about while I'll talk to Gabe..."

"But we never did see her..." Tess hesitated still, before Cat rushed her with;

"Now, it's your chance! Go!" After she watched her partner rushing to the autopsy room, she went up to dial Gabe's phone right away and waited for him to pick up. They weren't in good position to speak, but when it's about a dead body that could link to the past and put them selfs into risk, they won't have the choice but to do it, anyways. Time to put personal feelings aside, for the time being.

...

"Okay, some fresh air would do some good...Yeah, I can do this..." Ed just stired at the sound of his buddy's voice.

After taking a good hot shower and had been shaved, looking less like an homeless man he used to be for a few days, Vincent walked down stairs as he lifted his black shirt down covering up his nice abs.

After he locked himself in his houseboat for who knows how long, he decided that now it was enough, he had to move and smell some new air. He hesitated at first, but he decided to do it, anyway.

Earlier this morning, when JT had visited him, he was in a mess, lying on his bed, the covers all over him and listening to Eric Carmen's song _(All by Myself)_ over and over, leaving an suspicious three year old golden retriver dog lying on the floor, who just kept staring at his master's depressing behavior. That went on for days and days as he tried to ignore Tori's comings, until, JT had came, early this morning.

 _"Tori is no longer a beast now, you can stop worrying about the fact you might explode on any second now...Take Gabe for an example.."_

 _"Don't think of that.."he mumbled, head covered under his covers._

 _"Whatever, Gabe finally had decided to take her under his wing, thinking it would be the best for you to have some space from everything that happened..."_

 _"Away from everything? Yeah, JT, I know that..."he recounted back the same old lecture, like he used._

 _"And, maybe, you and Cat, I don't know, maybe you guys can figure out..."_

 _"I don't think I can do that...I let her go..."_

 _"Try to talk to each other, I mean-WHAT? What did you just say?"_

 _"I said, I had to let her go and that's because I love her, enough to let her be with someone worthy...worthier...you know?"_

 _"With Gabe? Come on man! Just because they went into a few dates, doesn't mean anything!"_

 _"I'm no good for her! man! Don't you realize that? The more I stay close to her, the worse is going to happen..."_

 _"That was because of Tori. After the shooting, you were angry at Cat and I mean very angry, but that was the influence and power thing that Tori had on you. You're no longer mad at Cat now.."_

 _"JT, please don't start..."he hated that part._

 _"And you need to get out!"_

 _"I'm not going back! You can't make me!" JT just sighed at this;_

 _"So what? You're gonna stay here? All day in bed and listenning to Carmen's depressing songs?"_

 _"Forman did it..."The professor just rolled his eyes up at this._

 _"Still, but he and Donna got back together, at the end of the show, I think...huh.."had said JT as he tried to say something else nice to help Vincent. "Get a grip, come on Vincent.."he pulled hard the covers away from his best friend's face, but the big guy just held back and very tight too._

 _"Don't be stubborn! Vincent! Get out of there!" At the end of it, JT had finally managed to get rid of the blanket to see Vincent putting his forearm across his face, hiding from any light. He had seen much worse cases of scenarios and days ever since Vincent camed back from Afghanistan._

 _He had locked himself back in the day, when the two of them were living in that warehouse, Vincent had stated that he hated of what he had become, what Murfield did to him, that made him become the monster he always feared and to see back at the mirror where a young man in his mid-thirties was staring back at him in pain, made him feel sick. A monster hiding inside of that body.. How much he hated himself before. The Hyde part of him, that wanted to explode, until he had saved Catherine. Everything changed for the good, however, wonderful things like these, never seemed to last forever._

 _JT wasn't suprised at the sight of his best friend's view. Vincent was in his black troussers leaving his well made and built torso exposed, he had a messy haircut that needed to be cut and looked as if he hadn't shaved in days, to be sure, and couldn't remember the last time when he took a shower, not that he started to smell, but that could be a risk to take._

 _Vincent refused to look up at his friend's eyes, knowing what kind of pep talk that was going to lead to. JT took a seat on the bed as the golden retriver dog had started to walk to him and bend down on his feet. Hopefully to help his buddy to get out of his misery._

 _"You seem to forget that you and Cat aren't the only ones to suffer right here, you know? I have my part in that story too..I was the one who put your name on that list, in case you don't remember.."_

 _"Man, it wasn't your fault, JT, you couldn't have known about it, I was the one who said yes too, remember?"_

 _"Still, Vincent, it's kinda my fault..."_

 _..._

Even if he had already forgave JT, Vincent felt that his best friend wasn't ready to forget about it, in any time soon.

 _"I forgive you, JT, a longtime ago, buddy and like I said it wasn't your fault...it's mine, I created that mess and look what happened.."_

 _"And you think Cat was part of that mess? I don't think so, big guy...She came and she saved you.."_

 _"She did, but I sabotaged everything by siding with Tori.."_

 _"Maybe, but you know what? Nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes, like you and I. So, what am I saying is to try again, don't give up on Cat so quickly, I'm sure she's still wants you back, but just give her time...Not everything is too late.."_

I hope it's true. Man. Vincent grabbed his coat and called his new roomate by his name;

"Come on, Ed, let's go!" he waved up at the sitting dog as he opened up the door, waiting for Ed to stand up and walk out from the houseboat, but he didn't do anything except staring at him with his big eyes as he waved his tail, suspciously.

"Ed, don't give me that look! It's time to go out, fresh air will do you some good..Come on!" Vincent just sighed when he heard Ed's heartbeat beating up so fast. The dog just bend his head down on his paws, giving his master those big puppy eyes that nobody in the world wanted to see. Ed was afraid of the outside world. Long story. Vincent just rolled his eyes at that moment.

"You still want that huge rubber ducky with you? Huh?"

...

"I'm telling you! Tori! Try to stay away from Vincent!"had said Gabe as he stood up and stared to the red head girl in a white bathrobe, sitting on the couch in front of him.

"Or else what? Are you going to turn me in?"

"Maybe I would, but I can always say to Vincent to think about putting an injoction against you.."Her eyes widened in fear.

"No, he wouldn't do that..." Tori just shook her head, waving her wet hair, afraid that a kind of thing like that could happen. Gabe just sighed, he folded his arms against chest and gave Tori an severe look. He was late at the job and he had to take the girl in his place, giving Vincent and Catherine some space. Himself as well.

"You're right, he can't do that, but an court can do that as well..."he followed as the former beast almost freaked out;

"You can't just leave me here! Alone!"

"I'm sorry, Tori, I know it's not easy..."

"You're right! It's not easy..."as she tried to breathe in and out, after all those years being held up by her father, Curt Windsor, she almost had become afraid of small spaces.

"It's not going to be for a longtime, okay? Just try to breathe...Hold on!"he cut his answer as his phone vibrated on the kitchen corner. He sighed and went up to pick it up, without even looking at the caller;

"Yes?"

 _"Gabe?"_ His eyes widened at the sudden call, he was surprised to hear Catherine's voice, after all that time. He thought his hopes had went down even after the fight they had.

"Catherine? Where have you been? Lately?" What kind of answer was that? She just sighed.

 _"Gabe, I have some bad news to tell you..."_

"What's wrong? What happened?" had asked Gabe as he looked up to Tori, she had leaned her back to the couch, her elbow on the back of the couch, propping her head on her palm and rolled up her eyes at the sound of Catherine's voice, annoyed.

 _"It's about Tyler. Gabe, she's dead..."_

 _..._

 **About that? Huh? What happened with Tori? How did she survived the near death experience? Up to you to find out! See you soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Whoohoo!**

 **I'm back guys! And I'm not going anywhere! Sorry for not updating lately. After I published chapter four, my mom felt sick for two weeks during mid-April and my dad had blood pressure later on, for a week after she recovered. Anyways, it was hard for me to write this chap with all that stress going on. And my little sister was not making things any easy for me at all, as she was analyzing everything like a boss, when a part of me just wanted to yell her off. But anyways, everything is okay now, my family's doing okay now.**

 _"She's dead, Gabe, they have found her..."_

"What? What do you mean by dead?" That got Tori's attention for an instant, she arched her eyebrows in confusion, at Gabe's worrying voice as he continued;

"So they really got Tyler, I mean, in here?"

 _"I don't know for sure, Gabe, all I know is that the new med examiner is doing the autopsy as we speak and he or she might do an DNA identification soon.."_

"An DNA...You mean, as an proof that it might be her, for real?"

 _"That's what we are waiting for, Tess and I. Gabe, back in the past, when you were still with Tyler, did you ever...I mean..."_

"If I ever did, what? Catherine, " had asked Gabe, worrying for the worst to come by any minute. Like, he's not gonna like whatever she has to say to him, he felt Tori standing up from the couch and walked up to him, with silent footsteps. It's gonna be a long story to tell.

"What's going on?" she asked him, Gabe just held up an finger, trying to listen what Catherine has to say to him.

 _"Did you ever, I mean, had beat her up? Gabe, is it true?"_ The ADA's eyes widened in shock at that kind of question and coming from the cop, that girl that he used to have a few dates with before her old flame complicated everything between them. He wanted to start a new beginning with Catherine, but it seemed that she holds herself from him or from any kind of relationship with a guy, at the moment.

 _"I'm sure, that together, we can do everyhting, Gabe, I can promise you this..."_ Tyler used to say that.

However with Tyler, she didn't think twice after she moved with him and it was kinda true, it was physical. At first, she fell in love with him, but he didn't. Time made its clocking and it finally turned out good for him, both together. The beating up wasn't quite his fault or maybe it was. He doesn't really remember of any incident he had caused because of the beast serum that he had been injected with, since he was a child. An inoncent four year old child with a beast serum running in his veins. Tyler never really minded any of it, she knew that it wasn't his fault that she always forgave him. But her parents did. Beast or not, she tried to save him by helping him to control his beast side with the pills she gave to him.

What kind of pills? Murfield pills? Only Tyler knew the answer and now, she's dead. When it worked for Gabe to calm down his monstrous side, it was killing Vincent, instead.

And after a few months, they have found her. Well, whatever is left of it now. He could end up in big trouble, once cops would dig up his past. The hatred her parents had or have on him, lame excuses about the beating up on their daughter, the beast thing, the experiments with Murfield, Vanessa Chandler, Reynolds, Catherine, Vincent and everyone in the picture. Exposure? Well, that might be worse and gross to endure. Just to think of the consecquences of his actions, made him sweat in panic. Tori looked up at him, unsure if she has to interfiere into all this.

" _Gabe? Are you still here?"_ He blinked once or twice at the caller's voice, waking up from his thoughts.

"Catherine's still talking here.."

 _"Is that Tori? Gabe, are you-?"_

"When you said 'they' who you were refering as?" asked Gabe cutting off both Catherine and Tori.

" _You're not gonna like this, Gabe.."_ That made him snap, causing Tori to take a step back. She just stood there, wondering whatever Catherine had said to make him sound so angry or more panicking like;

"For god's sake! Catherine! Stop jumping into conclusions and tell me; who have found Tyler? Just give me an name!" He heard Cat sighing on the line as she followed;

 _"Detectives Santiago Medina and Cheng Nguyen, from NJSP departement New Jersey, I believe. She's been missing for a few months, around that time when Vincent got kidnapped, but I may be wrong. They found her at some haunted place and according to Medina, he believes she's been locked up in some fridge...From what Tess told me..."_

"Haunted place? You mean at 6268 Rochester Court?" God not that place! He could be screwed for good.

 _"You may call it that way, that place you held me hostage once, remember that part?"_ She referred back to that period,not a good memory to share. He tried so hard to earn Catherine's trust after those events, but it looks not, the fact that his beast past could be exposed now the cops have found Tyler, dead.

He heard some rumors saying about a man, a cop from New Jersey that was trying to find some evidence proof, that he may have been an bad inflence to the defunt, or from what her overprotective parents had told her before. And what did Tyler do? She refused their help, telling over and over that he wouldn't never ever hurt her and that she was even planning to move out with him.

Bad decision ever.

However, she turned out dead and those cops would even might and want to dig into his past. Expecially with that Medina guy around in the block, things aren't gonna be so easy too.

"Gabe? You're shaking.."He looked back at Tori, who just stared at him completely worried, all anger and frustration were gone from her features but he could say that she was worried about him and whoever that dead girl was for him in the past. He hadn't realized that he was shaking ever since Catherine had mentionned the two cops names. _Detectives, Santiago Medina and Cheng Nguyen from NJSP Departement New Jersey._

"I'm on my way, Catherine..."he hang up before she could reply to him back. He could tell that Karma was making up its mark and it was happening, by starting now. He had to go and run into the prenict, before someone can identify Tyler by some other ways, that he wouldn't want to know. He has to identify her, himself and take the body away. There's too many secrets in it.

"Gabe..."

"I have to go to the precinct, I can't tell you how long I would be gone Tori, but until now, don't try to do anything stupid..."he said as he grabbed his coat from his desk's chair and keys and went up to the door, as he followed to an confused Tori;

"Cause, if you do and harass Vincent or Catherine, I'll put a tracking device on you and stop you right away by myself..."At that, she rushed up to him hoping to put some sense into him.

"Gabe!" Before he oppened up the door, he turned around to give her warning look and with an trembling more-like finger sign up to her; this time he wasn't joking around when he followed with this;

"You stay here and don't move from this appartement and like I said; Go harass Vincent or Catherine and I'll put you behind bars..." That stoped Tori from objecting up, she stared up at him, remaining still, just like a girl who got herself caught after trying to escape her parents's sight to see her secret boyfriend behind their back.

"Gabe..please, I.."she tried to say, her eyes implored him to stay and to let her go, to find the precious thing she needed the most.

"Just stop Tori! I'll be right back and don't talk to strangers..."he said mentionning her name out loud before he went out as he closed up the door, leaving her behind.

...

"So anything new about our Jane Doe?" Tess turned her head at her partner's voice who just came into the new med examiner's office. That office used to belong to Evan once and now it belonged to someone else.

"Or is it Anna Anderson?"

"Who's Anna?" Catherine just her shook her head at that question as her partner followed;

"Not much, from what I had seen, the body was all covered up and with Jackass and Jackass into the room, I had to watch my mouth from cursing..." Catherine nodded as she rolled her long and blue sleeves up to her forearms and put her fists on her hips. "And the new guy?"

"You mean, the new med guy? I have to say, he's cute, not as cute like Evan with all that black beard on, but he's not bad. I heard he works at Benjamin's Hospital, at the morgue section, maybe Captain Ward hired him because that monk needed more hours, I guess..."

"A monk? Like, he has no hair?"

"He has hair, just too much on his jaw, for my taste..." Tess just rolled her eyes as a dark haired man in his mid thirties who wore a white doctor coat just came in the office, closing up his phone, letting out a groan.

"Sorry ladies, I had to take this call..."he told as he closed up his phone before he could look up to them. He stopped his tracks as his expression changed when he looked up to Tess and to Cat; "My, my, I have both detectives Chandler and Vargas in the office, that's great!" Oh a newbie! Just what we needed! Not impressed by the newbie doc, Tess just frowned;

"Sorry?" At this, the new doctor clarified his own explanation.

"I mean, the late Dr Marks and I used to be roomates back then at med school, so he told me a lot about you guys, expecially you, Detective Chandler..."He smiled at the brunette cop standing a few inches away from him and at Tess's left side. Evan Marks had told him about her? And behind her back, as well? She couldn't blame him for having strong feelings about her back then. When she was trying to cover up Vincent from being exposed. His death still haunted her, when he decided to sacrifice himself for both of them. Giving them his blessing for their fight, to live their love to the light.

 _Evan sacrificed himself for both us back then. Now, I might think he would roll back down into his grave if he had knew about the situation...'_ Catherine just closed her eyes as she took a long deep breath, thinking that it wasn't the right time to go emotional.

"Yeah, he was a great colleague and great guy, I still can't believe that he's gone now..."had followed the new med examiner guy as he walked to his desk and took a look to the computer as he opened up three to five windows.

 _Evan would have had killed Vincent if he had knew how much he had hurt Cat, in these last four months...'_ Tess looked up at her partner who tried to deal with her feelings, before shifting her eyes to the med examiner's note pad hanging on his coat; Achilles Kostopoulos..' _Ah, a greek guy in the room? Looks, I'm gonna have fun...Hehe!'_

"So anything new about our Jane Doe? Dr K?" As a wake-up call, Catherine just stared at her parther, unexepted by the tone of her question that sounded very teaseful towards the pathologist who just gave a frown to an very challenging Tess.

"Just call me Ash, if you wanna live..." Tess tried to not laugh at his reaction, following with this;

"How about; you telling us about the body and skip the flirting part?"

"I wasn't flirting with any of you, it was just an compliment that I just..." He signed at Catherine's direction trying to make up for whatever mistake they think he might did, but sighed giving up and replied with this. " Like Detective Medina guessed, she was locked up in a fridge back at that place. The death time was, I think, a few months, between six or seven I might say and pretty quick, also..."He said as he sat on his chair viewing up a few pictures of the autopsy with the dead girl on it.

"How quick?"had asked Catherine back to him, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Pretty fast, the victim got shot four to five times to the abdomen, hitting up her liver and pancreas, by the time cops had come to the crime scene, she was out of it..." "Out?"

"No blood, Detective, she was empty, well except for a few frozen organs, but bleed to the end of it..."he had added, rubbing his eyes hoping to get the fatigue away, after almost enduring an three hour of cutting up some freezing girl's body, on the autopsy table.

"Any scars?"asked Tess, who just forgot about all the fun and turned up all serious, Ash just shook his head, as he knew that question was coming to this;

"Very, there's a lot on her, that I can't tell you how much she has, but I don't think you should go and see her, if you had breakfast this morning, I mean.."

"Why is that?"

"Let's just say this; Death doesn't have a nice smell or have a great sauna scent...When the CSU took her out, she was already starting to perish up..." Tess just winced at that thought.

"And the body, you think it's Tyler Stevenson?"

"I'm running some tests and like I said; There's no blood in her, but I'll try to run an DNA identification with her teeth records or if it doesn't work, I'll try to identify her with her hair, I mean. I don't want to make up any false hopes, until I'm sure.."

"How long, the tests results would come out?"

"A few weeks, unless, some witness can identify the possibility of that girl might be this Tyler Stevenson, that we're talking about..."

"What about her parents? Are they coming over?"

"We heard that they weren't so optimist about her relationship with the ADA. Do you think that he might be the cause of her scars or bruises, if I might say?"had added Catherine to Tess's surprise face. Ever since that phone call event with Gabe, she started to wonder if he had anything to with it, expecially, when he heard that Tyler was found dead at that place that he once held her hostage once, he started to panic. Things could go bad for him, if Medina and Nguyen started to dig about his past. The dark haired guy just leaned to his chair, moving his shoulders, like he hasn't streched up this morning.

"I would like to know the answer of that question, Detective Chandler, really. Just to see the numbers of scars and bruises, that had printed to her body, I would want to know as much as you both do and catch that son of a bitch right away...I mean, what that girl went through was completely out of control and way too much horrible..."

"Who could have thought?" At this, Tess just patted her partner's shoulder for comfort, the two female cops exchanged looks towards each other, until..

"However, during the autopsy, I did found something unusual..." had added Ash back as both Tess and Cat looked back at him, astonished by this reply as he waited for them to answer. In silence, when inside, he was jumping like a little boy that finally had got their attention.

"Unusual? Like what?"

"Like I said, most of the organs were frozen, but what caught my attention was that hidious and pretty long scar on her chest and, before I forgot, that long purple line on her back, laying on her spine..." Catherine just furrowed her eyebrows at that answer. An purple line?

"What about the scar on her chest?"

"Looked like a surgical scar, I might say, I do believe someone had an transplant surgery..."

"So, what you mean is that her heart was stolen?" Ash just defended himself, raising up his hands, as if it wasn't his fault, but went through, anyway.

"I never said it was stolen, it's a theory, that's all. However, whoever had done this transplant was quite good at making stitches, but I don't believe the chances of that person who received that girl's heart, would live long enough, though..."

"Meaning?"

"The girl was dead long enough, the stitches were made around two months or so. So, if you think you can live long enough with an unfunctional organ without any care, then you're totally wrong...Even if the organ was or not a match, I don't think, he or she would had survived the transplatation...Giving the time, the girl's death...I mean.." He leaned his back at the chair, waiting for the girls to add something. Both Tess and Cat looked like they were lost in their minds, but for Ash's point of view and the thought of how he had dealt with cops before, he wasn't impressed by their silence. After a moment of silence, the two female stared at each other and Tess decided to add with this;

"What about that _'purple line'_ you're talking about? How does it look?"

"More of an old red scar that used to be, when she lived. If you know, how long is a back spine, than you got your answer, Vargas..."he said and with a come over hand sign" Come over...And see, for yourselves.."he went back with the chair,gving some space for them to see the evidences pictures on Ash's computer. They walked and turned theirs gazes to the at it and backs at the guy, Tess and Cat, couldn't hide theirs expressions at what they were facing at;

"Damn..."

"You're putting words out of my mouth, Tess..."

"I might go to hell if, whatever, Medina had said could be true, but...Do you really think that Gabe had caused her, all of this?"

"You mean, like; Attacking her in a wild animal form?" Duh!

"Maybe both? I guess..."

"I, really, don't know..."had whispered an shocked Catherine staring at pictures of an naked and marked up girl, with many bruises, scars and lacerations anything that looked pretty old marks after spending months of covering them up with make-up and winter clothes. At others pictures, they were showing the same dead girl but faced down on the table, her back exposed up. Like Ash had conclured, there was a strange and long purple scar on her spine. What kind of relationship Tyler and Gabe were having? No attached strings? However Catherine wasn't focused on that purple scar, but to the gunshots that ended Tyler's life. All in one night, she got herself trapped that haunted place with Gabe as his hostage, Tyler got killed, and Vincent got taken away from her father's orders, after that battle with an enraged Gabe. Everything had happened so fast. Now the three of them could be suspected. Mostly, Vincent and herself too. Medina, he'll think that Gabe had an alibi. No, two or four alibis, that night.

 _Just unbelievable...It just doesn't get any better than this!_

"It doesn't make any sense, now..."

...

"I knew I'd find you here..." Vincent sighed at his best friend's voice coming over from the living world to join up the dead one. Hands in his coat's pockets, comforting them from the cold air, he just let out;

"I thought I needed some advice from the dead one, at here..." He pointed out at the tombstone standing in front of him, J.T just nodded his head.

"Will and Dan, huh?"

"Yeah, well, William, mostly..." Ever since that arson case, memories of his brothers had started to knock him hard. He tried to make up and catching up old times with his nerphew Aaron, that stuborn hothead kid who was proud enough to carry on the Keller name for his father and two uncles. However, he would have to think it twice, now that he might now the fact that his so 'dead uncle' was alive and had been hiding for ten years. Fear of being exposed as a beast or as a failing creature that should had been killed, from the start.

" _Aaron must hate me now, believing his other uncle that died as a hero was only a freaking liar after all those years in hiding...Fearing of being exposed..."_

"I wished I could told them..." "But you couldn't do it! You had to stay away to protect them from Murfield..."had cut in J.T

"Still, I should have, J.T...Maybe, if I had the chance to have turn them off from the beginning, things wouldn't have gone this far..."

"Man, what did I say about stop blaming yourself? About everything? Vincent, you couldn't have it prevented, no one could..." Vincent just sighed, shrugging his shoulders as he was staring at his oldest brother's grave, William Keller. He kinda had wished to be kicked by his two dead brothers, instead of standing here feeling hopeless...

 _"You still have a choice, you can choose to walk away and save yourself...Save Us.."_

He could have. He could have just walk away. He should had trusted Catherine, not Tori, from the entire beginning, but how can you trust someone that you just can't remember?

 _"However, I remember everything now...But, for what cause?"_

"Anyways, I didn't come around just to scold you, something came up about Gabe..."had revealed J.T. . As he completely forgot the reason of him being vulnerable, Vincent turned at him;

"Like?"

"Something about one of his exes..."

"Okay?"

"I'm not sure if you remember, I mean about certain girl blond and tall girl, Tyler..." At that name, Vincent knitted his eyebrows, not sure if he followed whatever J.T. was talking about;

"Why does that name sound so familiar? I mean, all of sudden?" J.T just grimaced at that, he turned at his left and noticied an playful Ed lying and crushing on a poor and giant rubber duck waving up his tail at his direction. He looked so happy and innocent at the moment now, all thanks to Vincent who decided to take him in.

 _"Kinda wished I was a dog too..."_

"Earth to J.T. Forbes!" He jumped out at Vincent's voice such as a wake-up call. He turned back at him, trying not to freak out as his friend demanded an explanation. "You were saying?"

"U-Uh-uh? What were we talking about?"

"Tyler, Gabe's ex-girlfriend? The one, that we took in for a deal? Remember?" The professor widened his eyes, in shock;

"You?-" Vincent just rolled his eyes as he cut him in. _"Just get over it! Damn it!"_

"And yes, I remember her. You were supposed to watch over her, when I took off to get Catherine out of Gabe's hands. You were telling me about her.."conclured Vincent about that last event when they both held the blond haired girl against her will, to stop Gabe from doing the impossible, but when he threatened the former beast about killing Tyler if he didn't released Catherine right away, his answer was simple and easy.

Kill her. Kill Tyler. Vincent couldn't believe it. Did Gabe really cared about Tyler? Or it was just an act? Did Gabe really had wanted Vincent to kill her? For real? Seriously?

 _"Gabe was more in a mess state than I was..."_

"Yeah. I got trapped and she walked out, I get that...But it's not about waltzing around the living world with her, it's about waltzing with the underworld one..."

"Under-Sp-Speak english! J.T.!" He was getting tired about the keeping guessing thing. J.T just gave up as he followed with a desperate sigh, cold air coming out from his mouth;

"Okay! Fine! Before I show up at your place, Tess called me and she told me about two cops that came all the way from New Jersey for a cold case, I think..."

"Cold case?"

"More of an current case, to specify..."

"What does it have to do with Gabe's ex-girlfriend?"

"That's the thing, they have found a body, at that haunted place last night, but does not look good, anyways. They think it's her. Tyler, I mean..." Flashing memories of that place went into his head such as like; when he rushed in to find an escaping Catherine. The second injection serum. The fight at the rooftop with Gabe. The kidnapping. Catherine's hand holding his hand from being taken away. His heart slipping away from hers. Vincent just shook his head as he groaned at that memory.

"Dead?"

"That's the word, Big Guy..." Vincent just sighed as he rubbed his temple at this; "Damn..." More trouble coming and going.

"I know. They have the body at the station, cops say, it can be anyone, but Tess thinks it's Tyler, in flesh..." Then, Vincent jumped into conclusions;

"What about Reynolds? I mean he stated in his report about being involved with Murfield and everything...What about Catherine in all this?"

"Rumors says that he killed her, but who knows? And as for Cat, I'll think that she'll know by now and Gabe, I think he might be in trouble and us too..."had added J.T, at last. At the mention word of 'Us' Ed walked back and sat next to his confused master;

"Us?" Vincent scratched Ed's ears, wondering of how much trouble they could get themselves into now.

"Well, since you and I were the last ones to have seen Tyler, that makes us suspects, but what's worse is that we can also be exposed...I mean, not only you, all of us...If it goes to the hands of the new good cop and bad cop in town..."

"Like if all these cases about me; killing beasts under Reynolds's command, Catherine's job on the line and the possibility of her ending up in jail, covering my hunter days as an assassin, Windsor's death and Gabe's big announcement about being a beast, past year, you say?"

"And so goes on! I believe you do know the formula, by now..."had followed J.T at the end. Vincent just shook his head, exhausted by the things he have just heard by now. After all the mess he made and endure everybody including Catherine the most, he just wanted to disappear and walk away from everything, but he just can't do it...

Feeling his hand being licked, he stared down at Ed's big brown eyes who looked up at him, like he wanted to give him some courage left.

 _"No, I don't want to give up on Catherine, but to prove that, I might need some help..."_

"I think, we need a plan, J.T." He looked up back at J.T, but with an man in action attitude tone than of the vulnerable one he used to wore a few minutes ago.

...

Meanwhile, when J.T was talking with Vincent at the cementary, Cat and Tess went to the precinct's own autopsy room along with the medical examiner Ash. It was Catherine's idea to go and see the dead girl and that girl that might turned out to be 'Tyler' but from her own eyes. First, Ash walked in and ordered the girls to close the door behind as he placed himself behind the corpse's head whose body was lying on the exam table, covered up.

"What I'm about to present to you, wouldn't be such great sight, just to let you know..." The girls exchanged an concerned stare before they looked back at Ash who was waiting for their permission to lift up the sheet.

"Go ahead..."had said Tess with a nod giving the doctor to lift up the sheet so they can see the girl in there. The black haired guy sighed like he had no choice and after two minutes of trying to calm his inner self down, he lifted the sheet up to expose the blond haired girl's face to the two detectives's faces and folded the sheet down on her shoulders, leaving the rest of the body covered. Cat and Tess looked down on the the corpse, unable to express any words than those coming out from their lips;

"Oh, God..."

"Medina wasn't kidding around when he said about pictures being worth like a hundred and thousand words..."

The girl lying on the metal and exam table looked even worse than in pictures they've seen. Frozen figure, pale as snow, dark purple scars that might had been red when she lived on earth. Pale lips from the cold air, two lacerations, one on both cheeks, not scars, but old lacerations. Marks that looked like claws of an wild animal were on the bare of her shoulders and a small beginning of a long line of stitches on the girl's middle.

Dead or not, that girl suffered the most and horrifying martyr, in her living moments or so, and an very bitter one. Catherine tried to not speak out loud, but couldn't helped herself.

"No, it can't be...It can't possibly be Gabe, there's no way!" Catherine was just in denial, she just couldn't believe what she was seeing right before her eyes. Same state like her partner, Tess just shook her head, folding up her red sleeves to her forearms and crossed them against her chest. Letting a long and desperate sigh out, as she was shivering out of cold.

"Looks, like Medina was right, she did get beaten up-"

"And decided to stay with him, until the very bitter end of it..."had said Cat still in shock.

"How are we gonna tell Gabe, I mean about her? About Tyler?"had asked Tess giving an nod to the dead figure in front of them, just as Cat tried to respond, they heard an male's voice that sounded like a worried boyfriend who's been looking for his missing girlfriend, for a very longtime.

"Tyler?" That just stopped theirs tracks right away.

That shaking voice belonged to Gabe.

...

 **See ya!**


	6. Chapter 6

There he was standing at the entrance of the room.

Both three people in the room turned themselves to that voice. Catching Gabe's eye at their direction, Tess and Cat tried to sheild up Tyler's body from his sight.

"Gabe..."had tried to explained Catherine when Tess just shook her head; not wanting to cause any more drama than it was. The man in question was in a mess, thanks to a certain fomer and female beast. He wore a wrinkled up purple shirt with sleeves pulled up to his forearms, black pants, his usual black shoes. His hair was was a mess and didn't got the time shave. All thanks to an certain damsel in distress, Tori Windsor, who put him through hell and all that with her problems had thought Catherine looking up to find an worried but determinated ADA Gabriel Lowan.

"I don't think it's a good thing for you Gabe, to be here..." However, Gabe, who didn't wanted to hear any of it, just followed;

"No! I need to see her, I need to see Tyler..."

"You think you can make an identification for that girl?"had replied the patholigist and Evan's best friend nodding at the lying corpse in the front.

"Her parents might come soon, Gabe and you could end up in big trouble, you know?"had warned Tess again.

"I don't care, I need to see her..."

"Gabe.."

"Please...I need to see her.." Like losing a fight at the field, Catherine just sighed at his reply, she knew he wouldn't give up either way, anyways. "Tess, I think we should.." With a defeating sigh, her partner nodded and the two of them moved away from the lying body on the table. Murmuring a silent 'thank you' Gabe walked up to the body. He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't. His eyes were all on her. Tyler.

"It can't be, it just can't...Tyler..." Words couldn't expressed the feelings that he had at the moment right now. He was just shaken and completely distraught. His old flame that tried so hard to burn down his bad side and there she was, laying on that autopsy table. Pale. Dead.

But not only Tyler made him panic. There was another matter in here.

Secrets.

Ghosts from the past.

Catherine watched Gabe's reaction very carefully. She didn't know what kind of relationship Gabe and Tyler had in the past, but from what she saw was some mixed feelings in the picture; Guilt, love, fear, shock, even sadness along with many others. That he might explode, wouldn't be a surprising view. Calling it experience or not, she saw a lot of people's way of reacting when it came about like learning that a love one from family or close relationship was found dead on whatever place, and to just tell them was the most hardest part of the job. She had felt that emotion before, when Vincent got caught into a explosion back at Tori's old appartement when he tried to get her out.

Vincent? Again? Really? Enough already!

She used to see Gabe, so strong and confident into whatever situations, but not at this moment, he looked just so broken and lost.

"Gabe, do you recognize her?" Her voice almost made him lose his balance for a second, that he put his hands on the edge of the table, trying to hold his footing in place. Gabe just took a few breaths, trying calm down from the shock. He kept staring at Tyler's lifeless form.

"Gabe..."

"It's her, it is Tyler..."

"You're sure?"

"I'm positive, it's her...Tyler.."he replied back before he looked up at Ash who was waiting to answer the ADA's questions. "How?"

"Gunshots, four to five times to the abdomen section; a few organs like her liver and pancreas got caught and run out of blood..."

"Run out of blood? You mean there's no blood left?"He knitted his eyebrows in confusion, Ash just shrugged like it was quite obvious enough. "That's what I found..However from the bullets, I'm gonna try to find out from what kind of gun that she had been shot with.."he followed back.

"What kind of gun, you think the shooter had shot her with?"had wanted to know Tess.

"Well, I'm not a shooter expert, but, from my eye of tiger, she got killed pretty quickly, so, I might say an shotgun or any kind of gun with license..."

"Vendetta feeling..."had mumbled Catherine back to her partner who only rolled her eyes up.

"Can be anybody...I know.."She had said, giving an look at Cat mentioning that they had nothing to do more for Gabe now, better let him ask the questions that he's wanting to know with the expert of anatomy here.

"You'll let us know if there's something else coming up.."replied Catherine as her partner decided to leave the place, but before she could, she looked up at Gabe, giving him an sympathetic look and added; "I'll see you later, Gabe..." And left the place. Leaving the two men in the room. The ADA just shook his head, like he was still adjusting the recent news he had been told.

"I believe you must have a lot of questions to ask..."had said Ash, trying to lighten up the mood when Gabe turned his eyes right back Tyler's closed ones.

"You have no idea..." _I'm so sorry Tyler..._

Like Tess had told him, he could up into some big and very big trouble.

Meanwhile, Tess and Cat walked back to the precinct, while talking about the situation that had turned completely out of control or even getting more confused than it already was.

" So, what's your thoughts?"

"My thoughts?"

"You were pretty quiet, after Gabe came and saw his ex-old flame laid at that table and very much dead too..."

"I told you after-." "No, Cat, I mean, after what we just saw back there, you really think, that an regular doctor could have that?" That just made Catherine stop her tracks in shock and held Tess back holding her arm to stop her feet, before she added this;

"You mean the removing heart thing?"

"Well, I guess, it wouldn't be the first time we see things like that?"had replied her partner back, however Cat didn't liked that tone coming from Tess or even where this conversation was going into;

"Tess, seriously, you're not thinking what I'm...think it is, right? Don't tell me.." Rather not putting the word 'afraid' into the question. Her partner just rose her hands up as if it was to defend herself.

"Look! Like you, I had the most annoying hangover this morning. And Medina, looking for answers to stop Gabe and maybe, I'm not thinking quite clearly right now, but Cat, do you think it's not all familiar to you?" Catherine just shook her head at this.

"Whatever you're thinking of the possibility that Vincent may or may not have it done it; I don't think so, Tess, so the answer of your question is a big N.O.."

"What do you know? Maybe, Zack could have it done it too..."

"Still, chances of him, about ripping Tyler's heart, are very slim and besides, you heard the doctor. Stitches like these could have been done only by a professional..."

"Vincent was a doctor back then, so maybe-" Cat just cut Tess at this line. "Tyler got shot by four or five times to her stomach and where do you think Vincent was at that time? At that haunted place, where Gabe held me against my will..."

"And got kidnapped by your dad, after that injection and that fight with Gabe? Yeah, I know the story..."

"Tess, don't tell me that you think, that.."

"No, I don't think that your ex-boyfriend did it. I'm just stating the facts here, and I'm not sure if you had heard from that monk, Cat, these stitches were made around two or three months ago, you know?" Damn, that's a good point. Not knowing what reply to give back, Cat started to walk again to reach up her desk as Tess followed behind;

"Cat, I'm sorry that I have vexed up your feelings, but with Tyler's body here, people are going to start asking questions and Gabe's ass might be exposed too..."

"Tess, we don't even know if it was Gabe or another beast who did it and besides, we could have known by now, if there was another beast in town..."She sat down on her chair and rubbed her temples, tired by all this.

"But we do know that Vincent had eliminated all of them, no?"

"Not all of them, if you know what I mean..." _I may sound cruel by saying this, but I kinda wished that Tori had burned up at that explosion...And besides, why am I still defending Vincent? That's just frustrating enough. I broke up with that guy and I'm still thinking about him! Damn it!_ She groaned again. Second time in the day. Wow...

"Tess, tell me this; why am I still defending Vincent? I mean, we're not even together anymore, so the worry of him being suspected in Tyler's cadavary discovery shouldn't even worry me...Geez.." Tess just crossed her arms, sighing up; " I don't know, the way, you left things with him were quite uncomfortable. I mean, both of you were angry at each other after you shot him and had your dad arrested. And yet, you softed up things with him when we were held up here. I guess you both lost track of each other. Maybe you feel guilty towards him."

"You think I feel guilty? Meaning that I failed our couple?" "I did not say that! You did!" Tess pointed right back. Catherine just shrugged her shoulders as she continued with this;

"Then what?" With a sigh, Tess just held the back of her chair, as she was trying to find the right words to explain;

" The hardships of an break-up. It takes two people in a relationship to realize that, Cat. To say; Whatever the hell just happened between us? Ever since we had found Vincent, he looked very different and ten times dangerous than he was before. And I won't include the former and red head beast girl to it...And you quite pushed him hard enough to be the person, he couldn't remember, I mean, who knows what kind of torture your dad had put him into...And to end up like this..." Gosh, she felt like an idiot at this. Catherine had tried so hard to help Vincent to go back on his tracks, without even knowing whatever happened with him being held captive by her own and flesh blood, for three months. Of course, she demanded answers of him but after Vincent had shoved her in self-defense and in beast mode, she had given up on it. Thinking it was for the best and had started to focuss more of helping him regaining his memories as his humanity was coming back, also. It was a new fresh start for them, falling in love all over again, like they did before. Despite their differencies that didn't mattered, like she thought. Doing all over again and take it easy, thinking of an possible future with no worries.

But losing track of each other? As a couple? Did she even noticed that? It couldn't be true, but it did happen after that drastic move that had costed their relationship. Whose fault it was? Hers? or Vincent's?

"I mean, it's not like he asked to become an assassin, on his own.."

"I guess, I didn't realized that we were so different, after all...But I just can't see him do that..."had revealed Catherine leaning on her chair as Tess followed with a grin;

"Even after wrenching Windsor's heart out? You mean?" At that, Cat just frowned, she didn't wanted to remember that part again.

"Don't even start it..."

"Okay, okay, miss, how about this? You wait for Gabe to come out from the doom place while I go and check for Medina? I'd like to know where they have found corpsy barbie girl and what kind of fridge that old frog was talking about..."had replied Tess taking her coat from her chair before putting it on her back.

"Could be an hidding basement...A frozen one..."had suggested her partner smiling up a bit.

"Could be. So don't mop around cause Gabe might need a crying shoulder...You owe him big..."Catherine watched Tess leave the precinct, wondering if she had the right to feel guilty about how her relationship had ended with Vincent. If it was part of her fault that they ended things like this.

 _'Is it just my fault if everything had fell apart. I mean for 'Us'? I mean, Vincent pushed all the blame on me, I only had tried to help him and look what happened?'_ Angrily, she shook her head off, pushing negatives thoughts away as she picked up an folder file from her desk, focusing her mind into others things that sounded more important than trying to understand an broken heart that just wanted to lock up from heavy and difficult emotions.

...

 _"Everything is in your head, Miss Windsor, there's nothing wrong with your results..."_

 _"How can it be? Ever since I woke up here, I feel completely different...I don't feel the same anymore.." had said an very frightened Tori, sitting in front of her doctor's desk. The grey haired man who was in his mid-fifties all dressed up with a dark suit along with his white coat, just asked back;_

 _"Like what?"_

 _"Like there was someone else in my body, an new presence in me..."_

 _"It must be due to the transplant and the blood transfusion you've had, it may be a myth according to the research, but most of fifteen percent of patients had said to feel different due to the transplant...Mostly patients with hearts transplants feel different after sugery..."_

 _"But what about those with the kidneys ones? Do they also get the same reactions?"_

 _"Most of them do, but it's not big, it's rare if I might say...You said by touching an nurse's hand, you saw something weird through it?"_

 _"Yes!" The doctor just shook his head at this answer. It was useless to make people believe into something, that just can't be proven to be true._

 _"I'm sorry to tell you this, but I think it's nonsense for a person to see the past through someone's hand. All I can say, it's to take things slowly from now on with your recovery and if things don't turn okay, try to do some therapy or we can change your medication..."_

Nonsense, that was the doctor's words, what he said anyway. Therapy? He must had thought that she was turning out to be crazy. And medication? To hell with it!

She wasn't crazy. She knew what she saw and it seemed very real to her, at least. Coming out from the guest room and fully dressed into a simple grey shirt and some black jeggings, Tori walked into the bathroom, bare feet and took a look at the mirror. She examined her face, hoping to not find any differences and hoping that her doctor was right or _maybe not_.

It's all in your head. Yeah, right.

The reflection that was showing up was not up to her exception. The girl looking back at her was no longer the confident one she used to be. Her eyes didn't glow anymore or even worse, she couldn't no longer feel the beast adrenaline in her system, it was all gone now and all remained was an messy red haired and tired woman with no make-up on, that was looking back at her.

 _'I'm not crazy, I am not crazy! I know what I saw!'_ She kept repeating that answer over and over again. Something was wrong. She wasn't a beast anymore, but she felt that something else was wrong. Ever since she woke up at the hospital, feeling like a complete stranger which was odd and different too. Until a nurse came in to check up with her charts, saying that she was lucky enough to be alive, even after draining the most blood out.

 _"You were lucky, young lady, if that young man and that cop hadn't found you sooner, you would have been dead by now, luckily your heart had the strength to hold on until you were admitted here.."_

And later, came that famous touch as the nurse had give an nice shake hand, Tori felt a strange reaction coming from the lady through her, as they were flashes of memories. It felt so overwhelming, so powerful and also scary.

 _'It's like I just saw her entire biography through my hand...'_ She looked down at her palm of hand as it was possessed by some devil thing going into her.

After she gone out from the hospital, she tried to contacted Vincent, but this time, he refused to have any contact with her, stating that locking himself up into his houseboat would be the best and that she has to stay away from him. Like she was a plague to catch. He did not say that, but it seemed very obvious. He didn't even come up to visit her, at all. Nobody did. She tried to reach up to him, many times but when word had supressed Gabe, he decided to take things up. Taking Vincent's defense like; Come again and I'll call the lawyers to stop you, right away!

If she could not reach her ex-lover, with whom would she confide herself with? Catherine and Tess? They weren't in so good terms since the last time she last saw them both. The last time, it was at Gentlemen's Guild, J.T's place, where people were hosting a party after almost nine or ten years for his research of cross speacies creatures. Whatever they call it. And the way, Vincent had looked up at Catherine with such compassion and a strange feeling that she always had envied, but couldn't have from him: It was love. When Tori had asked him with whom he was standing with, he just avoided the question. Saying that, whenever he's in touch with her, he'd respond like a totally different person he doesn't know and that maybe taking a break, wouldn't be such a bad idea for both of them. It was pretty clear to her, that he still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend. But what about now? Does he still has feelings for Cat?

Jealousy?

She nearly had lost her life to save J.T's, at that day and had woken up completely confused with no beast strength running through her system anymore. Tori really felt alone now.

 _"Argh! Stop dragging yourself nuts! Just do it!'_ She thought back shaking her head, irritated, she lifted up the hem of her shirt. Turned at her right, took a look, down at her waist and what she saw at the mirror, really horrified her.

A long red horizontal and surgical scar was marking on her waist, at her left side.

...

Time passed by...

"Someone has stole my clothes! Hey! Detective Sedina! Where are my clothes?"That earned a few laughs from the others searching guys, from a the middle of an personal conversation, Medina just shook his head at that as he lay his palm on his phone and yelled back to the person who was trying to not erase any evidence of the crime. He hated New York, expecially working with these machos guys like them, ever since the first day he landed here.

"You should have took another pair of clothes along and by the way! And it's Medina! Get back to work!"he sighed back as he followed up with the person on the phone; "What'z Up? Doc?"

 _"We had this conversation already, Medina! Did you saw Chandler?"_ Hendricks again.

"Yes, I did..."

 _"So?"_

"She's a catch and very pretty, if I might say, but quite young for my taste..."

 _"Medina, now it is not the time to flirt around, did she come up with anything new?"_

"Not that I know, all I saw was an very irritated but patient woman who tried to not interrumpt her whininng partner from yelling up at me..."

 _"So nothing, I presume?"_

"Sorry, old man...I'm just stating what I've seen, if you wanted to keep an eye on her, you should have hired up an private investigator, it would have been easier for the both of us..."had responded Medina as he kept an eye on the annoying forensic cops who were coming in and out of the haunting palace. It was past 6:30pm of evening already and he was getting annoyed by standing here and do but nothing at all. The fact that all evidence could may or may not be wipped off, worried him and Tyler's parents's presence might shake things for him, as well. Put Lowan in it, as well.

But with an bastard like Hendricks to hold with; It was way more worse, than it seems;

 _"I don't have the time and patience for that and you have to know this; How much costs an private detective, Medina, I cannot affort that prize..."_

"Geez, look who's talking now..."

 _'I believe, they don't pay you, well enough...Feds do suck...'_ Medina just rolled his eyes at that thought.

"Then, what do you want me to do? I'm waiting for the forensic team to finish up..."

 _"Do your thing! I don't care if you have that missing case on your hands, I want you to have an eye on her!"_

"Chandler? You mean?" Hendricks got mad, at Medina's question that did not sounded so smart enough to him. He could hear the old man slapping his own desk, on the phone.

 _"For god's sake! Medina! Just don't blew up anything!"_ Oh boy, he got the old man mad now...

"Like I'm gonna blew up and have an wild affair with an foxy and sexy woman like Chandler..."

"Foxy and sexy?" That just stopped him as he turned to find that owner's voice who turned out to be an suspicious Tess who was just coming out from her car. Her features hadn't changed from the last time she had seen him, at the police's precinct.

"I gotta go..."

 _"Medina, we're not done yet!"_

"For now, I believe..."he hang up, before the caller could had the time to finish up his line. He cleared up his voice, bringing up an nervous smile, hoping that Tess did not heard a word from the conversation he just had with the FBI agent on the phone.

"Hey, Tessy!"

"Who were you talking with?" Trying to look innocent, he just put his fists in his pockets, adding; "My wife, Laura, saying 'Goodnight' to me, quite a romantic thing to do, isn't it?" But Tess wasn't buying any of it.

"Did not looked like you wanted a 'Goodnight kiss' from whomever he or she was on the phone with an old frog, like you..."She came over to him, still angry, but the balloon pool thing was no longer the problem at the moment. Realizing, that she wasn't kidding around, he tried to defend himself;

"Look, Tess, whatever you've heard is not what you've-" "Think of? You mean? I don't think so! Exepct for the 'Foxy and sexy' part, I believe you're up to something..." He just eyed her with a glare, forgetting the fun side now as she added;

"And I don't mean by alone, I believe more of the possibility that you are working with someone else, other than your partner..."

...

 _"How are you handling things with Ed? By the way?"_

Like there was no tomorrow, J.T rushed to the bar, almost missed up a step as he picked up an kleenex, and kinda...Had sneezed in it, before he blew out;

"I think, I'll live, don't worry about my dignity, bro..."He blow up his nose at his phone who was into speaker mode, right next to the kleenex box. He leaned himself over the bar for support.

"Like, if I ever had one left..."he mumbled back, not aloud but with Vincent, anything can happen.

 _"I'm sorry, pal, I'm putting you into this situation, but I'm not gonna be long, I just need to see something in here..."_

"That's why, you stole a cop's clothes to get in there? Seriously? Vincent?"

 _"Don't worry about that! It's a blue costume that forencic cops use to get access into a crime scene like this one and the guy wasn't even naked at all, but I don't think he'll have his job, for a longtime though..."_ The professor just shook his head at this.

"Find anything interested in there?"he asked back, moving on into the real problem. Ever since he was left with Ed after Vincent had decided to go check the crime scene, on his own, he had take care of an terrified golden retriever back home. His place at the Gentleman's Club, however things couldn't get better at all.

 _'I think, I might add another allergy on my list, with that dog...'_ He thought back, sniffing up annoyed.

Ed was an very good dog, but a little special too. Still, that little guy needed a bath and J.T hated to be the last person considered to do it so...

 _"Well, everything is pitch black over here, even if I tried to scan places like these, I wouldn't find anything at all..."_

"What about that place, I mean that place where they have found Gabe's ex-girlfriend?"

 _"I'm not there yet, heard about a fridge, but place...Hang on..."_ That caught J.T's attention

"Vincent?"

 _"I'll call you back, take care of Ed, for me! Okay?"_

"Vincent! Wait!" But Vincent had cut the conversation already, even before J.T could had replied back. Without even washing his hands, he took his phone and rushed back to his desk of computers, hoping to be able to track up the phone call.

Ed's bath might have to wait, for now on.

...

 _'Can't even believe that cops have forgotten to check up here...'_ Thank god for the stolen costume, Vincent wouldn't even need to worry about the chances of leaving any footprints in here. He wouldn't want to end up in trouble again, having his D.N.A trapped up here. But it wasn't something he had to worry about, as he walked into some trap door that was coming through some wall...Like ancient times.

And ended up... _Here..._

He ended up the phone call with J.T as he stared at the hidden place. In shock.

He lowered his mask down on his chin as he stared at the dark gory and quite _bloody_ place, that might used to be an operating room. Still shocked, he closed up his eyes for a moment, trying to calm down as he focussed on his other inner self. Speeding but blanked flashes came through his mind one by one.

A body was lying here, as another was lying besides it. A person, working on one of them, taking something out from the body? A doctor was doing a transplant procedure? In here? Why not do it? At some real hospital? Where it is the most reasonable place to do it so? And someone was screaming and then, it was blood...Way too much blood...

Vincent opened up his eyes back, not wanting to know whatever happened later in this vision. He wasn't sure how many persons were in that place, but he knew that it ended bad.

In blood.

As a doctor, Vincent had seen things like these, in much more worse states, but never that far.

Well, maybe back at 9/11 . In his soldiers days or when he used to be an uncontrolled beast, he had seen unforgettable but horrible things. The worst kind of human beings, truth to be told. But never like that one.

He raised up his phone, using up all the light he had left and took a better look at the gory and bloody place.

 _'Damn, what the hell had happened here?'_

...

An hour had passed and Catherine was getting irritated by checking nasty and old files on her desk, she put her bangs back away from her eyes, releasing a long sigh or more of like an yawn.

 _'Ouch, my back is going to give me trouble, if I keep up like this..'_ She looked up at her watch just as 7:00pm had arrived. Tess had already left the precinct, like a few hours ago by now and Gabe was still at the autopsy room, or that's what she thought so.

 _'What's taking him so long?'_ She looked back, wanting to see to ADA coming out from the shadows. Seeing him at his bad state like she witnessed back at that room, made her feel bad about the way she treated him lately. Gabe is a good person and he deserved so much better than her. She did not wanted to play with his feelings, she was just coming out from a struggling relationship with Vincent and wasn't quite ready to open up her heart again to someone. It wouldn't be fair for him or for her, as well, to rush up things.

But with Tyler on the picture and his shocked face when he first saw her after a few months, things were quite questionable, at the moment now.

 _'Maybe I should check on Tess, to see what Medina is up to...'_ She rose up from her chair, taking up her coat and as she was about to leave, a young blond haired man in uniform, mostly fresh out of academy had called her up;

"Detective Chandler-"

"Sorry, I'm leaving.."she cut him off, as she put her arms inside of her black coat and started to gather up the butons together, however the cop did not give up as he added;

"There's a man who wants to file an complain-"

"Then ask, the new clerk at the desk and he can file his-"

"It's you, that he wants to talk with, personally I believe..."

"It won't take any long, Detective Chandler, but please just hear me out..."That stopped Cat from any movements, she turned her head to the owner's voice who was standing next to the young cop in uniform, at the entrance of the precinct. In his thirties, he looked tall, quite the muscular type, but not too much though.

Black haired, short haircut, blue eyed, pale skin and was quite unshaven, as an small beard of three days had started to show up. He wore an blue coat, leaving his scarf leaning on his shoulders, black pants and big boots. He looked determinated, but worried as well. Like he's been caught into a fight. He was handsome, true, but not her type, at all.

What a long file! Right Cat? She blinked for a few seconds, before snapping out;

"Okay, you can leave us, now..."she added back to the young cop who with a small nod returned back away, leaving this unknown man to her. The man in question took a few steps to reach up to Catherine who just stepped back, from one foot.

"It better not be long, cause I have to join up my partner at some crime scene..."she crossed her arms against her chest as he tried to explain;

"I know and I'm sorry, but it really, won't take any long. If I came here, it was because of a personal matter..." She frowned at this.

"Okay? So what's the problem?"

"It's about a friend and I do believe that you know her..."

"Depends on what kind of friend, you're putting me with...Not that I'm looking for somebody, cause my private life is not something that I'd like to share with strangers..." she answered back with a 'not so impressed' look, directly back at him.

"I didn't meant that! I just meant that you used to go to school with a certain Gretchen Hermandez..." At this, Catherine was just confused but still not interested at all. So she added this;

"I'm not following..." he sighed in defeat and poured his heart out.

"I believe she's in trouble and might need some help, excpecially from you, Detective..." he revealed the truth, but not all of it. She knew that, for sure...

...

 **BOOM! GOTCHA!**

 **Missed me? I did! Just to let you know this; English isn't my first language, it's my third one. I'm not very good at describing many things, like that gory surgery scene, but I'll keep trying later on. Just to let you know this; I'll add a few VinCat moments in the later chapters, but short. The two of them would probably have to face a few demons at first, before bringing them back together. However, I watched the first S4 episodes and they were so cool! Anyways, a review would always be welcome!**

 **See Ya!**


	7. Chapter 7

**So much suspense, huh?**

...

...

...

"What makes you think, that I can help you and your friend?" Catherine wasn't so sure if this guy was just mocking her or if he was serious enough to convince her up, about helping him or whatever friend he just made of. He sighed.

"I just know, that she told me a lot about you, when both of you were still in school with the others. She said that both of you were lab partners, once..."he tried to explain, like he was running out of words.

"Lab partners?"

"Once, but she moved away, right after her dad died at that car accident..."

"Meaning, she dropped out?" she clearified at his story, with an raised eyebrow in confusion.

"Two years before graduation, I might say.." he shrugged his shoulders, like he agreeded along with her answer. Realizing they were both standing here, at the precinct and not into a intimate place, where secrets don't ever leave and won't be heard by anyone else, she decided to follow the meeting into one of the interrogations room.

She opened up the door for him and mentioned to take a seat, before she could follow with this;

"Like I told you; I'm not sure I'm following you and I, for sure, don't remember a girl by the name of Gretchen, so it better not be a joke..."she warned him as he sat on the chair, reserved for the witness people when she decided to stay up still, arms crossed, facing him down with an suspcious stare. Like a real cop should do.

"It's not a joke! I'm telling you this, it's real..." Catherine just shook her head. "You have ten minutes..No more than that..."

"It's just complicated, I mean, she's been on the run for almost five years by now, running away from a man with power..." he put his hands on the table as his fingers tangled up together, trying to look away. A sign of being nervous, as she observed his moves.

"So, your friend is running away from a man. Meaning, he was abusive towards her, in the past?" A man with power? She'd like to believe that.

"In a way, like this, I'd say 'yeah' but that was before she found out what kind of man he truly was..."

"So, happily ever after, gone wrong?" The man sitting before the table, just gave her a glare at her answer.

"Look, I'm just trying to put the pieces into the puzzle here! I don't know, but it won't hurt to give me a clue, you know?"she defended herself back and added;

"You have five minutes now..."

"I know it's not believable, I get it, but Gretchen didn't even wanted to come here, I did. On my own. Not hers. And I'm only doing this, because I can't handle the thought of her being beaten to death, by her husband!" A husband that beats his running away wife? Pff! Can't get any better, than this!

"So, she's married to him? Why not ask for a divorce? If she thinks he's a danger to her?"

"Because they have a daughter together, like I told you, it's complicated..." Oh oh! That's where it gets interesting...

"So, there's a kid into this abusive relationship?"she added back.

"I guess, I spit out the most important punch line, here.." Well duh!

"What about Child Services?" When that man didn't say anything to that, Catherine felt like she hit a fragile line in here. She made a fake gasping in shock sound, before she followed;

"Oh, I get it; your friend is on the run with the kid and I assume, that her soon ex-husband has contacted Child Services, thinking she is the delusional one, in fact...Well, that solves the story..." He looked back at her, alarmed that she looked not interested, at all.

"You don't believe me? So?" She put her hands on her hips, not very much convinced.

"Look, how am I suppose to believe a thing you've said, about just now? And I don't know any girl named Graziella or Gretchen, so..." His eyes widened.

"You think I've made this up?" The kind of story of an abused woman who wants to take the law on her hands, rather than to trust the cops? She knew that story, well too much so...

"How about; You answer my question? Why didn't she filled up an complain? I mean, from the very beginning?"

"She would have, but he left her no choice, it was either try to stay together or it was by dying...So she made the decision..."

"Or more, like running away from him with their daughter?" The kind of an abused woman who wants to take the law on her hands, rather than to trust the cops? Did she ever had the choice? To go on the run or surrender herself as a crazy mother like her husband wants to make her look like? Many questions were playing in Cat's mind at the moment and that guy, sitting in front of her, was more than ready to save that Gretchen girl, even if it was from herself. She just knew, from past and failed relationships...Including one as well...

"Her daughter..."he corrected the female cop, who had started to trust him now, but still, won't let her guard down in any minute. Cat found out that he wasn't making this story up. He sounded very serious."She doesn't want him near to her child..."he added again. "You seem pretty serious, about this Gretchen girl and her daughter..."had said Catherine as she made her way up to this stranger, sitting at the edge of the desk, across from him. He just stared down, at his fingers.

"They mean a lot to me, Gretchen, mostly..." The way he had said her name, proved that he has feelings for this woman. Even deeper. A woman that Catherine may or may not remember at the time.

"Where is she? I mean, at the moment now?"

"Working at the street, under an alias. Call-girl, I'd say..."

"And her daughter?"

"Far away, safe..I mean, away from here..." Looks, like she got cared of it, already. Get the kid away from an ex, meaning this girl wants to handle things on her own and that without the kid from their sight. That girl, whoever is she, was acting desparately at the moment, risking everything to keep her safe and even if it means to spent the rest of her life behind the bars.

"Are you still in contact with her, I mean do you still see her now...?"

"A few times, but only in private, I don't wanna to blow up her cover, don't wanna her ex to get any supscious ideas.." Catherine just sighed.

"And you say, you came here, on your own? Exact? I mean, she doesn't even know you're talking to a cop, like me?" He just shook his head.

"Like I told you. She was so against about talking to cops, but she has no idea that I came here on my own, talking on her behalf..." She nodded at this, before adding; "But, you're thinking; that with me, she'll talk?" The guy released a nervous sigh as he raised his blue orbs up to her. "I know, it's a lot to adjust and that you might need to note everything on paper, but I-" "I don't need to write anything down on paper, I have a good memory, mister-"

"Patrick, my name is Patrick...Detective Chandler..." It was his turn to cut in. Catherine just rolled her eyes, annoyed but followed anyways. God, how many guys, on earth, are named Patrick? Today?

"Ok, Patrick. I have another question for you; How am I suppose to contact that friend of yours? So?" Mind just get along with it.

"There's this bar, that she's working at the moment, La Esperanza, or something...A few blocks away from here..."

"Esperanza?" Well that's new. But, Patrick shook his head as he tried to catch up with his words.

"No, I don't think it's a good idea, better not go there as a cop, I think it's risky..."He said it, like he was talking with himself, but Cat caught him, at that. Oh Oh...

"Why is that? Does she has a criminal record already on her back?" she asked back, wanting to know if that Gretchen girl had walked away from prison, in the past. However, Patrick denied all that.

"No, it's not that, it's just, I mean, the bar used to belong to a italian mafia family, back in the late seventies, that used to have trouble around. However, it is no longer into the blood hands now, but it now belongs to Gretchen's husband..." That's interesting...

"I see...The guy sure likes to fool around, no? But why does she works at that place, if she's into running away from him? So?"

"That's why I came here! Ever since she sent her daughter away, she's gone into that place, working out at the streets and even dancing in front of a hundred men over there..." Looks like she wants to keep an eye on that guy, after all had thought Catherine.

"Okay, so if meeting up at that bar is not a solution, than where?"

"I was thinking more of that coffee-bar IL Cantuccio, near the police station, she'll be there..."

"She will?" So, it was all fixed up? However, behind his girlfriend's back. So play along...Yeah right.

"You just have to pretend, that you are one of the guys's wife that she, once had slept with and that you want to handle things, like a wife should want to handle..." He made that plan from the start? Now, Catherine wondered if that guy was really the inoncent face, she had seen or he was just playing her up with his insecurities and worry about his girlfriend that so-called Gretchen Hermandez. What a call-girl...

"So, you want me? To go there...Thinking, that I can make her, change her mind about attacking her husband? And let the cops handle things before it gets out of hand?" He shook his head as he waved his hands, completely rejecting that idea.

"Don't call the cops yet, try to get her attention, first and later, you may consider to get back-up.." Look who's talking now...

"When?"

"Try to be there, around late at ten or at midnight, tomorrow night...make it look like..."

"Like a wife who wants to kill the sluty and spanish girl that had been sleeping with my idiot of husband? I get that..."She cut him off, finally getting the plan on track. She checked back her phone to find out that she was currently late and that Tess would kill her by now. "Look, I'll have to go now..." Feeling, he had said too much, Patrick rose up from his chair as the woman remained to her place. Eyes studying every move he makes.

"Thank you for sparing your time with me..." He handed his hand for a handshake, expecting Cat to take it, but she crossed them against her chest, as she demanded;

"Don't thank me yet, I'll have only one question though..." "Like?"

"What's Gretchen's husband's name?" Patrick looked around the place, like he was being watched by someone else, other than Catherine standing in front of him, before he could let out;

"Oliver Alvarez..." At this, she just nodded in silent and told him to give her his number, just in case, if she ever has others questions to ask him later on and told him that he was free to leave. Giving a card from the hands of a cop would only make the famous Gretchen grow suspcious and her lover, Patrick wouldn't want that to happen.

"What stays here, would stay here with me..."

"I just hope I did not made a mistake, I mean, coming up here and talking to you..."

"I'd say such thing like; You did a good job, by coming up here and confess your own version of the story, but I'll still have to talk to that girl, to make sure that it is the absolute truth. And if you say, that I used to know her in the past, it wouldn't be so hard find her, no?" She concluded at the end. He sighed, like a huge weight had fled away from his shoulders.

"Just, try to stop her, please. Revenge has a no point of return and I think, you know better, Detective..." He pleaded back to her answer, his blue baby eyes were begging her to change his girlfriend's mind. They were quite piercing enough to make her believe that he had tried everything to stop that Gretchen girl. That sort of look that she once tried to convince Vincent to not go after her father and kill him. However, Catherine just cleared up her throat, saying like;

"I'll try, but I won't make any promise..."And he left. She sures, knows that revenge has no point of return, she had experienced it with a certain person, that she once knew too much enough. And he was gone.

...

It was hard than he thought it would have been, but Patrick had done it out of love. He just couldn't just stand and do nothing, but watch her suffering, expecially under her ex-husband's stare. He had to do something. As if Oliver had noticied any difference with a random street dancer and his wife's ressemblence. He tightened up his scarf and put his hands in his coat's pockets as he walked down the steps of the 123th precinct's entrance, against the cold.

Patrick wasn't so sure if he had made the good decision about talking with Catherine, but at least, it was all he could have done to save his lover from a certain revenge and from death, as well.

She might hate him, but, he would have had spared her life from ending in jail, or even ending beaten to death, from Oliver's hands or from any kind of man, coming from that bar. He sighed, in relief. That cop wasn't so sure if she could trust him or his story, but she said that she was gonna try to help him. Both of them.

 _I did it for her. Now, I just have to be patient, hoping that she would collaborate with Detective Chandler..._ He thought back as he walked the street on his own, without even noticing that a certain _wanted_ person was watching him, from behind.

...

The next day, wasn't even better than yesterday. Even, after getting his third coffee, Medina couldn't get the thought of being caught out of his head. Sitting at the coffee shop near the police precinct, he was studying the case that he was sent to do. However, the Tyler case was more important to him, than the one that Hendricks forced him to do.

 _Parents would want to know whatever had happen to their missing child. So, investigating an cold case like Reynolds's arrest is out of question._

Hendricks was sure one of the son of the bitch he had known, for most of his life. Even, if he owned to the FBI agent in the past, he still found him so annoying. Pictures of Catherine Chandler's damaged car were on his table as he was eating his breakast, while he was studying them.

Something was not right, in all this. In her video, Catherine had mentionned that she was spooked by a dog, while she was trying to catch up, Bob Reynolds, who was her biological father, guilty of many unspeakable crimes and had caused the car crash.

 _Must have been a big and scary dog that got her scared..._ He took a sip of coffee as he continued to analyze the situation of the accident. Medina had watched the video quite seven to ten times, when he was back at his home, even before leaving New Jersey. Such nice present coming from Hendricks...

 _She looked quite nervous and hesitating at the video when Hendricks was recording it. I believe that she was hidding something from the camera, the way she stared away from the camera had proved that she wasn't telling all the truth and that dumbass of Hendricks hadn't noticied it, at all..._ After a few years in the law forces, he learned to focuss on movements, more than words do. Words may come out as lies, but not movements and eye contacts. Did Chandler knew that third person?

However, after Hendricks's team had found a bullet covered in blood, that still looked fresh, at the crime scene, the case turned to be more of an suspicious one.

 _I don't think there was a dog, at the crime scene, I'd say, it was more of an possibility that a third person was involved in it ...That's what I think, at least. An ordinary dog would never had the strength to break a car's window and pull out a human being on its own..._

At other pictures, there was marks on Reynolds's throat, like someone was about choke him up to death. And also a few broken bones, as well and only after the car crash. Detective Chandler had a small concussion and was knocked out for a short moment, but Reynolds had not only a concussion, but a few broken bones and bruises.

 _Well, that expains the hole at the back of the car...And marks on his throat, like someone tried to suffocate him. And then, Chandler come up and arrest her father, no wait! Better than that, she knew the third person and tried to talk to him or her away, by aiming her gun in hopes of negotiating would help, but something went wrong...Then so, why did she lied through the interview?_

No wonder, she looked nervous...It's quite obvious that she had known that third person...

Was she protecting the person? Did she killed that person by accident in order to protect her father, from choking up? A bullet in covered in blood that didn't turned out to be a match, outraged Hendricks, as he was sure for a fact that Chandler was playing him, all along. She may have regrets at the moment, for protecting that third person.

With a sigh, Medina leaned on the back of his chair, putting a hand through his hair, frustrated. There were many theories on how the crime arrest scene may have happened. He just couldn't put his finger on it. He had to come out an excuse to make Tess believe that whatever she had heard him talk on the phone was with an pure and stupid publicity quiz that he was cursing about, last night. However, he knows that Tess didn't bought it for one second. So he decided to call a friend, that actually lives in NY, to meet him up here.

 _Can't work on Chandler's case, at the moment, or else, Tess would eye up my ass, for good..._ He looked at the window, at his left side, until he heard;

"New York is not your forte? Right, Santiago?"Spooked, Medina waved his head back to that voice, before a huge grin was marked on his face.

"Hey, pal! it's so great to see you again!" He rose up from his chair and the two old friends shared a brotherhug, from not having seeing each other from a very long time.

"In two years, you'll reach up the big number and might end up in the club!" With that, Medina pulled himself away from that hug with a frown. No one wants to be reminded of how old they would get by time.

"Don't remind me, Rui...Why don't you take a seat?"He gestured the chair in front of the table. "We might have a long chat to catch..."

"But, most of it, it's for bussiness. You called me last night, at 3 am of the morning, that you wanted to talk about an cold case..." had said Rui as he took off his coat and had lean it on the back of his chair.

"You know me, way too much, buddy...So, here it goes..." _I hope I don't make a mistake by confidying myself about that cold case with someone else..._

So as Medina started to talk about the cold case with his fellow old buddy, he hadn't noticied that a from the standing line away from them, was a cetain but shaken up professor and biochemist who has been trying to reach up his best friend from last night, almost jumped in fear when he had heard the word. That a certain third person may have been involved at the arrest scene, with Catherine and Reynolds.

 _Oh Damn it!_

...

J.T. thought he could reach up Vincent from his phone as he walked into the coffee shop, until he heard someone bringing up Catherine's name in the place. Shocked, he almost had bumped into the front person, who was also waiting for his coffee at the waiting line. J.T. looked at his left, where two guys in their late thirties were talking in complete discretion. _That must be the guy that Tess was refering as Medina..._ He thought back as he watched the dark mi-long haired man with a trimmed beard, wearing a blue shirt with rolled up sleeves to his elbows. He looked like a had spent all the night up, not enough sleeping. As for the other guy, he only saw him from behind, but he did looked very different from his friend. Dark and short haircut and looked like he came back from a morning jogging, from his black shirt and blue jumping pants, along with his black snickers. He seemed to look like he was trying to understand the situation. He looked back to his phone, trying to reach up Vincent, desparately as he texted this;

 **J.T.: Where the hell are you? Dumbass! You might end up in trouble!**

...

If J.T thought he and Vincent could end up trouble, it wasn't even better for Catherine.

The very first thought camed through her, at the morning was invastigating and looking through old files and her high school year book on her desk, about an certain Gretchen Hermandez, a young single mother on the run after running away with her daughter from her abusive husband.

Oliver Alvarez.

Not even through her computer, she could find something worth it. She did find a prostitute by the same name that got caught with dealing drugs once, but not the kind of girl she would have had recognized, after school graduation. However, Patrick had said that she had dropped from school right after her father died, so two years before prom and graduation. Did she ever meet her? Before?

 _That doesn't make any sense at all, that name would have had bumped into my head, just hearing it, but it didn't..._

Through her research, she phoned Beth at her office and had left a least, three of five messages. Since Beth had organized the school reunion, she must had known almost everybody back then. Quite the popular type. And yet, Cat hadn't received any call from the journalist.

Gretchen Hermandez, that name didn't ring a bell, but Patrick had also, added into his confession, that his girlfriend was under an alias, in this country... That could help if Beth had called her back...

"I'm about to pull my hair out..." Frustruated as she was, didn't even noticied that she wasn't alone now, as some few and loud steps were heard.

"Well, you're not the only one here, so I can feel your pain..." She looked up from her computer to find an very upset and tired Tess, who did not look any better than her. Her hair was in a mess and it looked like she had slept with the clothes she wore the night before. Tess dropped the donughts box on her desk, like it was garbage and sat on her chair, before she slapped her head on her desk. Facedown. Medina just drove her crazy. That's a true fact.

"You look lovely..."had said Catherine, trying to lighten up the mood. However, her partner just groaned in disgust.

"Shut Up! I hate Santiago Medina..."

"The new cop?"

"He's a pain in the ass and his partner is no better..." She brought her head up to her partner who tried to hold herself from laughing: "I'd like to see you spend the night with him and laugh about it, later on..."

"Like it's gonna happen? I'm taking a break from guys, from now on, and that includes Gabe..." Catherine just raised up her hands at the air, as if she wanted to stay away from whatever mess here.

"Okay.."

"And what about the donughts, so?"

"That helps me to deal with my freaking moods...So get over it..." Cat just eyed the donughts, she really wanted to taste one of them now. However, she got back to her computer, trying to deal with cravings.

"If you want to get fat, it's up to you..." Tess just frowned at that line. She looked up to try to find out, on what subject Catherine was focusing on. Ever since, they both found out, about that secret place through a wall, that turned out to be a quite _bloody_ place, the case may take a bad turn as well for Gabe. However, whom ever had left the wall open back at that haunting palace, was not afraid to get caught. Tess did not pay much into it, cause all she did was yelling at Medina last night, but she had a feeling that Catherine might have known who might have been in that place.

A name that they both knew and swore to never pronounce it at loud.

But today, she seemed to be focused in some other things, than the Tyler case.

"So, what's your dealing, right now?"

"Still, looking right through it. I'm trying to find any link between an dropped out high school girl and some prostitute named Gretchen Hermandez, that may try to kill her ex-abusive husband, from what her lover Patrick had told me last night..." That just left her partner dumbfounded.

"The-the-hell-what?" Cat just shook her head and mentionned Tess to approach her chair close to hers so that she could see on what she was working on and started to explain whatever Patrick had confessed to her, last night. After a few minutes of trying to understanding the case, Tess had moved her chair, closer to Catherine so that she could look up to her. Leaning on her chair, arms on the benches of it and spoke;

"So her loverboy came all over here to confess about all the bad stuff that his girlfriend has been doing and wants you to make her change her mind?..."

"In a way, yeah and he wants me to do it, try to talk to her and convince her that her 'vendetta thing' wouldn't work..."had explained Cat back. "What? She really wants to kill her ex-husband that much? I mean, I know a few women that tries to run away from abusive relationships, but to kill an ex? Woah, there's no way out of it..." Tess couldn't believe it.

"He had said it's either stay in this marriage by my rules or nothing at all..Or dying by trying..." "So, she made the decision to leave him?" "With their daughter..."She had added as Tess wasn't so sure if she still wanted to hear more of any of this.

"Hang on, Cat, there's also a kid in all this?" Cat just shook her head, admitting that it was the complete truth. "I know this is just sick, to think of it now.."

"Did she asked to file for an complain, instead? I mean, to avoid all that drama?"

"Even if she did, he would have gotten himself out of it, with all money and power, you know..."

"Like you said, I don't know that girl either, but what about her ex? Maybe it might help.."

"That guy said his name was Oliver Alvarez, something like that..."

"And that girl, on the run?"

"Some Gretchen Hermandez and by police records it seems like she has been arrested for dealing and got out, because one of her lovers had paid her out..." Just to hear that unknown man's name, Tess was trying to think of something, like she must have heard it from somewhere else.

"It tells me something, not the girl, but I'm sure heard that guy's name somewhere..." When Catherine wanted to answer that, her phone had buzzed at the same time.

"You're waiting for someone?"had asked Tess watching her partner picking up her phone to see who was calling.

"Must be Beth..." And she picked up the call, putting the phone on her ear; "Chandler!"

" _Cat?_

"Hey there Beth, I'm very sorry about calling earlier, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything..." She had said as an made up appology, trying to find the right words as her partner was listening to the conversation.

 _"Oh no! You did not interrupted me at all! I was just finishing up an interview with Snoop Dog! And I had to make sure that everything was going the way I wanted! That's why I had to kept my phone silent.."_ She sounded so excited, from her voice as Cat tried to not wince at it.

"Snoop Dog? For real?"had mouthed Tess impressed, but Cat just shook her head, like it wasn't the right time to dull over someone famous.

" _So, anyways, you left me a few messages on my phone and said that you needed my help? About a girl named Gretchen Hermandez? Who was that?"_

"Someone we both had the chance to know, I guess. Do you have any idea who was that person? Cause, I don't really remember most of the persons that had dropped school after eleven years..." She really hated asking people favors, but she had no one else to talk to and Beth seemed to be the right person. After that high school reunion that went wrong, because of an cetain vicious beast named Zach that got killed by an certain ex-boyfriend, the twisted neck thing. Anyways, Beth had tried to contact both Cat and Tess to see if they had found anything that looked or seemed anormal, however with Gabe's help, he managed to cool things down with all the press, including Beth.

 _"Well Cat, to tell you the truth I don't really remember any girl by the name of Gretchen that went and dropped out of our school...I'm sorry, it would had rang an bell to me..."_

"Okay..." But Beth kept following, adding;

 _"But, I sure do remember one thing, at least I hope, in the year book. When I still was student body president, I had the idea to do an memorium page for those who had left school early..."_

"An memorium page?" Well, that one wasn't expected, but Beth followed her answer. _"Yeah, I thought it was a nice thing to do, to remember the people we knew, I mean before they took their paths on their very own way. Something to look back, you know?"_

"Oh, I do know, more than you know..." Cat just rolled her eyes up, knowing the feeling of always looking back to the past.

 _"Flip the pages, it must be the last one hanging to be discovered..."_ Trying to hold her phone between her left ear and shoulder, Catherine took the album and start looking at it, flipping up the pages until she could reach the last one. When Tess stepped back to her computer and started to go through old cases, about bailing out prostitutes, from years before till now.

When Catherine had found the last page, her eyes were searching for the girl that Patrick had mentionned, last night;

"Alright, what am I suppose to look at now?"

 _"Did the guy mentionned any description about that girl?"_

"It went out of my mind...Didn't think enough..." She should have.

 _"But he also did say that she dropped out, because of her dad that died in a car accident? And had moved away?"_ Not bad...

"Yeah, he did say something like that...Beth, do you know something that I don't know?"

 _"Look at the third row, there's at least four or five students's pictures that you might recognize by now..."_ With Beth's following directions, Catherine looked at the pictures from up to down at each row, until her hazel eyes dropped to an very familiar picture...

' _She said that both of you were lab partners once...'_ Patrick's words made sense now. She shared a couple classes with her, mostly in lab classes. Catherine just froze at the picture. She knew that girl.

"Oh, God..."

 _"Remember Yalena? Cat? She was in our class and dropped out after her dad died at that car accident..."_

...

 **Sorry guys for not updating faster! A lot of things had changed, my schedule at work took big turn and I wasn't able to finish this chapter, until now. And, I'm gonna be very busy in the next few weeks. I work five full days and two night shifts, so it's gonna be hard for me to update, but I'll try the best I can. No promises, but I'll try...**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! See Ya!**


	8. Chapter 8

Yalena? How could it be possible? Catherine couldn't take off her eyes from the picture. No, not Yalena, it just wasn't possible at all.

"You mean Lena? Beth, you've got to be kidding me..."

 _"I'm sorry Cat, but from the way you described the situation, Yalena was the only person that had crossed my mind. I also was surprised that she dropped school as well, I mean, she wanted to become an lawyer just like you had planned once..."_ Beth just sighed on the line, like she was deceived.

"What happened? I mean about the accident?"

 _"Not sure what really happened, but all I know was the fact that her dad was quite drunk and accelerated the speed and had ended struck at some tree. He didn't make it through..."_

"Damn..."

 _"You tell me, she ended up on her own, later on. Her mother left both of them and her dad never quite accepted it, so he decided to drown his sorrows in alchool, leaving a newborn girl to his brother, whenever he bursted at home after a wild night.."_

"Oh boy..." Despite, the apparences, Yalena Svetlana Sandler, 'Lena' for friends, always seemed to be the perfect, beautiful and nice girl with no problems from what she could remember. Born from a Russian mother and from a American father at the Bronx, life was not a fairytale for young Lena who had to be raised by an drunken father after her mother had left them alone. Blond and long haired girl with deep blue eyes, she was a smart girl than it seemed to most of others kids. Even with an drunking parent at home, she always tried to do the best she could at school, she had never let the past haunt her or even let it become a distraction to her grades. No one knew about the things at home, not even Catherine ever noticied.

However, before becoming a lawyer, Lena really had wanted to join up the cheerleader team of the school, since she kept a good figure, mostly because of her mother's genes and good looks. Despite all that, she remained natural and simple, not too snobish from what Catherine could remember. Lena was almost sixteen and really wanted to feel like she belonged somewhere in here.

 _"Cat? Are you still here?"_

"I'm sorry Beth! Do you remember where she went? I mean after her father's death..."

 _"Lena had no choice, but to move away to Chicago, where her uncle lived, probably still lives there, I think...Other than that, she had no relatives here and since she was under age..."_

"Whoa...That's a lot in one day..." She rubbed her temple, trying to adjust all the news she just heard from the journalist as Tess furrowed her eyebrows in wonder at her computer. Her eyes were keeping on searching on whatever she was looking at, until she let out a wide gasp, like she just remembered something important...

"Look, Beth, I have to hang up now and, please, let me know if you remember anything else about Lena, by any chance..." It might be very important, she almost had added.

 _"Of course, but, Cat, do you think she's in trouble? I mean, it's been a longtime since I've seen her . She wasn't even present at the reunion, like at all! So why are you asking all these questions for?"_

"Beth, I wish I could answer you now, but I really I have to go now..."Catherine hanged up even before giving Beth the chance to answer back. She stared at Tess's stunning face, before she could add this;

"So, what did you find? Judging from your face, it must be big news..."Tess just grinned, at whatever she was looking at and she was quite enjoying it.

"I did not find a 'what' it's more of a 'who' I think I have found..."had revealed her partner back. "Come over and you'll see..." Intrigued, Catherine rose up from her seat and went to Tess's side and stared at the picture, not being sure on whatever had got Tess hooked on.

"Uh, Tess, I don't think we have the time to look for a guy here..."

"I'm not looking for any guy! That guy over here is your Alvarez guy!"She pointed at the picture which showed a quite but very handsome man in his late thirties. Tall, tanned, shouldered broaded, short blond haired with blue sky eyes, Dr. Oliver Alvarez knew how to win a woman's heart by showing up his shiny smile. No wonder how Yalena fell for him. He looked like a telenovela star. In this picture, Alvarez wore a grey suit along with a blue tie that matched his eyes and quite nice lips and a strong jaw...But what caught Catherine's attention is that he worked at the New York's hospital, as an surgeon and that organ donation was holding a huge and personal part for him.

However, she couldn't find any mark of violence in him, so what happened with Yalena so? Did she really left him with their daughter? Running away from the abusive husband and father? Like Patrick had said last night?

"He used to be married..." From what she read coming from his profile. He was married in fact with a woman who had suspended her law studies to become a housewife in order to raise their daughter at home, while he was at work. However, there was no mention of his wife having running away with their daughter, cause the profile was dated around from six years ago.

"Well, cuban Brad Pitt knows how to pose and smile, no? I mean with a body like this one, not even your ex-boyfriend can come close to this..."

"It's hard to believe that this guy could be abusive towards women..." At this, Tess turned her head at Cat, as she pointed Alvarez, with a questioning look;

"You really think, he was that bad towards his wife? Like your Patrick guy had mentionned?"

"Don't know about that, but I did told him about that I needed to find the absolute truth coming from Lena and not from anybody else."

"To prove that he has been right, from the start..." Catherine just snapped her fingers like Tess was reading her mind. Gotcha!

"Sort of. I don't wanna to play the bad guy here, but I need to be sure that whatever Patrick had revealed is true, by talking with her..."

"With Lena?"

"If I can find her, yeah..." Catherine put her fingers through her hair to put them away from her eyes, tired as always. She really wanted to believe Patrick, but didn't want to get in trouble.

"I went through files, about bailing prostitutes out from jail, from years before till now..I may have found your Gretchen girl profile..."

"Yeah, I found that profile as well, put it up..."Tess did as she was told, by opening up another window to see, Gretchen's s profile and a long text; giving a small idea who she really was. Gretchen looked nothing like Lena. That woman at that picture had a short, chopped and black haircut , smoky brown eyes almost hidden by her locks of her hair. She had that stern look like she was directly looking at you and only you. Eating you up, like a tiger. She wored a black leather jacket with a red and espensive bustier with sprinkles on it.

"More like a bra than a expensive bustier...I'd say..."had said Tess when Cat went back to her desk and grabbed her high school book year to check up Lena's picture with Gretchen's.

"No, that's not Lena..."

"I mean, she could have wore contacts, changing her appereance all that...I mean, the last time you saw her, was around waaay back at the early 2000's..." It was quite true, Catherine hasn't seen Lena since a very longtime, but she sures remembers the young girl as a natural beauty and very nice person. If she went up in this state like this, it must be for a reason and a very rightful one. She went up back behind her partner's desk and looked back and forth from Gretchen's picture to Lena's. They did not look alike at all, but why did Patrick called her by Gretchen instead of her original name? Unless...

"They swapped their names..." That clarified everything. Tess just frowned looking back at her partner.

"Sorry?"

"Patrick had mentioned that Lena was under an alias, now I get it why he always had talked about her, but using up Gretchen's name in order to protect her from being exposed..." No wonder, he looked nervous around her. He was afraid of being caught by someone or more like a spy sent from Alvarez..

"Why? He thought you were filming or recording the interview? That's why he covered her up?"

"I had no idea who was Gretchen Hermandez until Beth had brought up Lena's past in. They exchanged identities, I believe..."

"About her daughter? Do you have any idea where she sent her out?"

"Don't know about that, but I know she's far away from Child Services and from Alvarez's sight. Patrick had said that Lena has been hanging around that club and you can correct me if I spell it wrong. La Esperanza, or something like that..."

"Don't worry, even my spanish is way worse than yours. From what I see, Alvarez has bought the club a few years ago, from closing up its doors, however he just came in to save the day..."had followed Tess as she oppened up another window to search about the famous club that Lena has been working in with Gretchen. "And I believe, she had meet your high school friend along the way and had found a way to work along with her..."

"You're right, Lena and Gretchen, they could had worked together or it may link them to something, or more like someone..."

"Alvarez, I guess that's the answer of it..." So where do they go from here? Cat just studied the pictures on and on, making up a small plot to it. Abused and single mother, Yalena Sandler took the run with her daughter away from Oliver Alvarez and has been living in New York under an alias after sending her daughter away, so she can have a close look at her soon ex-husband. She meet Gretchen along the way and has exchanged identities as she seemed to have had agreed to help her out, keeping her identity as a secret. Both of them are working at the club as call-girls or as dancers at the moment.

And Alvarez, in all this? Has he bought the club from closing its doors, maybe from bankruptcy? or from something else? A nice face like his are no secrets at all and speaking of organ donation foundation, he must be a doctor that practices transplantation on humans, meaning he was paid to save lives. . Could he be a part of Tyler's murder? Keeping her in a fridge in order to keep her body in condition enough so he can practice his work on some other people in need for a transplant for surviving?

And if he did, where is the stolen heart? Ash had mentionned to both of them about that surgichical scar on Tyler's chest, and even if he had to re-do the autopsy, he would have said the same thing. He was sure that Tyler's heart was taken away and someone who has it, may or may not live that long.

Can't be sure of that fact...Yeah, go ahead and think like a cop had thought Catherine letting out a long sigh and spoke out;

"So, what do you suggest that we should go for? Go and find Alvarez or try to find both Gretchen and Lena? I'm out of ideas, at the moment..."

"Geez, you're asking me to choose between William Levy and Julia Roberts, Cat!"had whinned Tess, scratching up her head, like she can't make up her mind between two people to decide who is the bad guy in this. Boy, Medina, sure made her go nuts, last night and not by passion, by crazyness. "Okay, I'll go with Julia Roberts.." She said as she almost had giving up after the men of her fantasies.

"You want to go at the spanish club? What happened to cuban Brad Pitt? By the way?"

"Very funny, from Alvarez's profile, it stated that he rescued the club from falling down, like your Patrick guy had said. But what I want to know is why is he linked to all this, expecially with your Lena friend.."

"You mean, he could be part of Tyler's murder?" Well that could be big...If that was true...

"Could be, could be not. So, anyways, I'll be dropping off Levy for a moment and ask about the girls at the bar, while you go and talk to the owner.." Cat jumped at this sentence, Alvarez is the owner, right? So why would she go and ask some stranger, the important questions that needed to be told?

"Alvarez is the owner, Tess..."But her partner cut her up, at this. "Yes, but only on pappers, he must the type of person whom you go and ask for a signature about everything that needs to be done." Okay, that could be it.

"Could be someone else, I mean someone that controls the bar and the girls, from the front?" If Alvarez handles the papers and financial stuff, than who handles the girls and the bar?

"You got that right, Cat...I'm telling you, if that Alvarez guy had bought that club from falling down, it must be for a damn good real good reason..."had concluded Tess.

...

Meanwhile, Medina's friend was acting like a complete freaking, but panicking lunatic. Too much to control his blood pressure as Medina had rolled up his eyes, annoyed by that reaction.

"Are you out of your mind? Santiago? You want me to go through FBI files? Just because you can't get access to their job?"

"Look, I cannot get access to theirs files, because I'm supposed to lead a missing case with the NYPD's precinct along with Cheng, so that's not gonna be possible and Hendricks behind my back, wouldn't be easy to ignore, anyway..."had said Medina after he had explained his plan to his old ex-hacker buddy who turned to be a private investigator now. Rui just shook his head, desparate about the way it might end things for him.

"Santiago, I have a wife and two lovely daughters waiting for me at home, you cannot ask me to do your job for the FBI!"

"Vargas had almost caught me, last night on the phone with Hendricks. And I do know that she's smart enough to sense that I was lying to her about calling Laura...So, try to man up, a bit! I'm not telling you to hack anything bad here! I'm just telling you to do the other job..." He had admitted, mentionning Tess's name into the affair, so he has to be more careful in the future, that's why he called his friend in case of helping him out.

"I used to do that, but years ago, Santiago! I can't get my ass on fire, again..." Rui looked very panicked, however Medina managed to calm him down, by saying;

"Look, all I want is for you to go through every detail about Chandler and her father, Reynolds. Hendricks wouldn't leave me alone with this, expecially with the arrest and shooting scene, so I believe that there might be a third person involved in all this.."

"So, you think that both Reynolds and Chandler lied during the whole thing? Hiding the fact there might have been a third person at the arrest scene?"

"It's a possibility. Hendricks told me that a bullet covered in blood that seemed to look fresh was found, the next day and none of father and daughter had been shot, so that should explain it..." Rui nodded at this as a waitress was poured some coffee into his cup and walked away as Medina followed;

"But the bullet wasn't a match, from what I've heard..And that got him mad, the fact that he was pulled out from the case, because it was starting to be enough personal for him, so he decided to put me in and I can't really do it with Vargas behind my back..."

"You don't want to be busted, man..." Rui had guessed from there, as the man in front of him had agreed.

"Parents do have the right about knowing on how their daughter had died. I'm a father myself of two kids as well, Rui. Tyler Stevenson's parents need to know the reason of how their daughter had died and they waited far too long..."

"And you want to focus on that case and busting Lowan, for abusive relationship, even if she went on her own will with him?"

"I'll do anything to bust him up..." Even put him in jail.

"But what if...If Lowan doesn't turn to be her killer? What are you going to do? How are you gonna tell them about this huge fridge thing?" Instead of answering this question, Medina's phone vibrated, he took a look to his phone e-mails, it was Cheng.

 _"Come up! Tyler's parents are at the precinct, they're about to identify the body,..."_ Medina just groaned at this, it couldn't get any better than this...

"Work, uh?"

"It was Cheng, Tyler's parents had just arrived to the station to make an identification about the body. I believe I've got to go there, I mean for support.."He tried to find the right words to handle the pressure he was about to endure in the few minutes later on. Nodding as he understood, Rui just sighed as he waved his hand, like he agreeded to do Medina's job.

"Okay...I'll do the job, I'll try and seek for the answers that your stupid FBI buddy forces you to do..." Finally, he felt like a weight had left his shoulders, at the moment. He was grateful for Rui, for understanding the situation that was hard enough for him.

"Thanks, Rui, really I appriciate it..."

"Just, how much information, you want me to go through? Like two or ten years before?"

"Anything that includes Reynolds, on how he ended up corrumpted and for what reason. That hot shot of a cop, Detective Catherine Chandler as well, his biological daughter that had found him back, after all these years..." Medina wanted to slap himself for saying that line, out loud that! Chandler? A hot shot? Something's very wrong here!

"The one whom had him arrested, is the hot shot, you called?"had asked Rui back. Great!

"Don't get me wrong, man, if I was a single man, I would've gone for her, but she's quite a little young for me and by checking her up, I believe she holds a lot of secrets as well. That's what I think and I don't think I'll be able to stay with a woman who holds a lot of secrets..." _Too much trouble for my own sanity! And besides, I'm lucky I've been married with Laura for a least couple years now with two great kids as well...I don't think I can stand with someone who smells a lot secrets around..._

"Like dirty secrets, you mean?" Medina just sighed at this.

"Nope, just the ones that you aren't allowed to say in public..."

"So this is pretty heavy, you think she's in trouble, Santiago?"

"That, it's the least of my worries..."he added as he nodded at the pictures lying down on the table; "Just check the pictures and tell me what do you see in it..." With an raised brow, Rui eyed him, carefully, before he could look down at the pictures. The private investigator took the pictures and placed them on his sight,looking down at them as Medina leaned on his chair with arms folded to his chest. He watched his friend examinate the arrest crime scene in silence for a few minutes, wanting to know about his opinion. Rui just shook his head, letting out a couple, but quiet curses.

"Damn..."

"You tell me..."

"This is a mess...I mean with the car crash and Reynolds in pretty bad shape after he got himself in the hands of his daughter in cuffs..."

"Take a look at the bullet covered in blood, Rui, and like I told you, none of Reynolds or Chandler had any signs of being shot, and forencics cops have found a bullet at the crime scene, the next day..."

"Maybe, Chandler had missed her shot and had accidentally shot someone, at that time of the night.." Nice example, but Medina wasn't buying it. He stopped his friend who was about to follow his idea;

"If she did, than why did she lied about that information, anyway? Why would she cover her act, if it was an accident?" With that, Rui looked up at him, intrigued. A look that he would probably end up sharing with him.

"Because she's protecting that person from being discovered..."

"Or maybe, she doesn't want him or her to be exposed, because if she does, cops would go and ask questions to the victim. If that person had survived the shot or not, Rui. And you know what that means for Chandler..."

"Your 'hot shot' cop girl could end up in trouble with her cover blown, she could lose her badge..." With that, the cop just nodded as he agreed along.

"Damn, right..." It was started to get complicated than ever.

...

Lounging on Gabe's couch, an anxious, but in pajamas, Tori was drinking her coffee as she continued to look up at the phone lying on the coffee table, like she was waiting for it to call her, right away. Many unanswering questions were coming and leaving her mind and it was making her really nervous. Was she having visions of the past, by touching people's hand?

Ever since that last minute kidney transplant and blood transfusion, she never felt the same like before. Once she was born as a beast from her father's regretful choices and now, she was a psychic? And that scar from her waist had just frightened her nerves. Something was wrong.

"That's just ridiculous, I'm just seeing things, that's all...But I know that I'm not doing it on purpose!" She whispered to herself like she was trying to convince herself that things like that would go away like magic, but deep down, she knows that it won't go away without a good explanation. She cannot ask the hospital staff about the donor, cause it might be very confidential and to break the law, would cause serious damages, not only to them, but to herself as well. However, the fear of not knowing, was starting to consume her, very.

 _'I have to talk to somebody...And it can't be Vincent, he's unreachable at the moment...Catherine and Tess, not a good idea...J.T, he has too much trouble at the moment..But Gabe, in all this?'_ She thought back as she heard the door being opened up by no one else than, Gabe...

Gabe..

She took a look at him, with big frighten eyes. He hadn't showed up since that day when he received that call from Catherine. It turned out that one of is ex-girlfriends was found dead and that he needed to be at the precinct. He couldn't possibly have the time to come back at home. It must have been two days, by now, and the guy before her eyes did not look any better, at all. Clutching to her coffee mug, she tried to find the right words.

"Gabe, I..."

"Hey, Tori, looks like you didn't leave at all, I'm glad at the end, that you followed my attentions..." He said as he dropped his coat to the couch next to her side. She just continued to fix him, complete stunned. She didn't know if she had the right to act worried or happy now that he's back at his home. Cause, boy, he looked exhausted, by the looks of it...

"What a hard day, I've been talking to a lawyer for almost day, enough to calm down my nerves, I'm glad that you don't have to go through what I'm going through, Tori.." For an answer she just watched him loosen up his tie as he wanted to get up some coffee or a drink, from the kitchen table.

"It went that bad?"

"Don't ask, Tyler's parents wants me to go at court and go to prison for the murder of their daughter.." That pulled her out of her thoughts for a minute, realizing of how bad the situation was.

"Say what?"

"I know that, don't ask, it happened way before you and the others came in and besides, it was Tyler's choice to stay with me, the former beast, it was her choice, Tori, not me..." She watched him reach up the drawner up front of him, took up a mug and poured some coffee in it. He was shaking, like he was living through the nightmare he had been exepecting to live any minute. She rose up, put her mug to the table and stared at him, watching and waiting for him to react. But what came later, was out of control as he followed;

"I did not kill her, and they're accusing me of doing it...I did not...I did not kill her!" He raised his arm and threw the mug on the counter, splashing coffee everywhere with much violence. Tori just stepped back in fear, at that sound. She wasn't sure if he tried to assure her or himself, but she was sure of one thing, he was shaking in fear.

"It's my fault as well, Tyler fell for me and it's my fault if she had died because of me..." The red haired girl tried to approach the desperate ADA, hoping he won't notice her trembling figure or the fact that she was trying to assure him.

"Tyler went through hell and back for me and look what happened? She paid the price of trying to help a beast, like me.."

"Gabe.."

"It's true, Tori, I let her go into her grave...She knew the risks about being with me and died because of it!" He must have loved her, despite the way their relationship was based on, from the start. Being brave enough to move, Tori put an hand on his shoulder, trying to cope his pain. She remembered the time when her father was going through hard times as well, when her mother had passed away, due to mystery circumstances.

"I'm sorry..." _That you must through a lot of trouble because of the choices you made with your ex..._ What else could she say to him, than just being sorry? Guess there's no words, at all. Trying to cope his pain, Gabe snorted and turned around to look up at her, he tried to make it up with words like; "I'm sorry, Tori, I know you must go through a lot, right now and you, probably don't want to listen up to my past problems..." She just shook her head at that.

"No, it's okay, my dad had to go through the same thing like that as well, I mean when my mom passed away, a longtime ago..."

"So it's true, I mean about your mother had died?"

"I only told Vincent, when he had kidnapped me, but it was very hard to watch my father suffer as he got worse with his other inner self, after he lost her..It was also hard for me, as well..." It was the first time that she admitted about her mother having passing away to someone else than her ex-lover and it quite felt good now. That she doesn't have to hide about that other part that had died, but could she really trust him; about the fact that she was having visions? Will he look up at her like she was losing up her mind? The man turned his back from her, looking up at the mess he just made at the counter.

"Damn, it's a mess, I guess that's what happens when you get angry and do stupid stuff around, much like a drunk person..."He replied back, as he scratched his head in embarassment when Tori was about to mention something else..

"Well, Gabe...I do have.."

"Never mind, I'll clean it up later and I'll have to take a shower, before going back to the precinct, it felt just like yesterday about me learning about Tyler's murder and days when I came back..."He sighed as he turned back to the red haired girl in front of him. "And to say that I tried to redeem myself from my past mistakes with Catherine and Vincent, guess I'm not even there yet..." He said with sad smile. "Anyways, if the phone rings up, call me, but don't try to give me another scare, like Catherine did. Okay Tori?" He followed as he put an hand to her shoulder. Taken by surprise, Tori just shivered at his touch and her eyes had widened up open, but in shock. It was happening again. _Oh God!_

Flashes of pictures had bursted in her mind, and completely out of control. Like lighting. Pictures of a young boy being expenrimented by hundred of scientists and doctors, an unknown asian woman with a rassuring smile introducing the same young boy to two people, must be his new foster parents. A boy who ended up suffering with the bad consecquences of his actions, his beastly actions drove him mad scratching up the wall with claws as his eyes glowed a deep and bright yellow, expressing the uncontrollable anger of his beast nature. Both of his foster parents dead. Much later, that same young boy became a man, an very succesful and bright man, despite his affairs with many women, until he had meet this blond haired girl...

Tyler...

Tori had no control over the fastening visions that kept going and going, over and over. Including the most intimated and sexual parts of Gabe and Tyler's relationship. She saw them met, getting closer as physical before getting closer to each other, the beating parts, the siding over him against her parents's overprotecting control. The beast coming out and did the most unforgivable things to an screaming Tyler begging him to stop or cease the pain as he used her as bait. A way to to put his hands or claws on something livable and that used to be the person that was close enough to the beast. And then, the man was back with no memory of what he had done the other night to the woman. Through the white flashes of Gabe's past memories, she saw both of them in the bed. Gabe waking up in sweat from a horrible nightmare and an completely naked but scarred Tyler, lying on the bed, the next morning. Her back against him, as she was hiding the atrocious but _bleeding_ scars of her body with the blanket sheet. She was crying in silence as she kept telling herself over and over that it wasn't his fault, that it was the other part of him who was responsible for the abusing, not the man. Not Gabe Lowan.

"Tori, are you okay?" At the sound of his voice, she snapped out from the flashes as she backed away from him, still in shock. Regaining control of her surroundings, she looked up to him, who ended up worried of her sudden behavior, but waved away.

"I'm okay, just a little tired, that's all..."She assured him, promissing him that it was no big deal at all. Gabe just shrugged as he went to the bathroom's direction, leaving her completely distrught. Tori had no idea what the hell was going on. Whatever was real or not, she feared that she would lose her mind at the end. What the hell was all the flashes? His past memories? She wasn't so sure, if she ever had seen Vincent or Catherine through his touch on her shoulder or maybe she was about to discover it, soon enough. She just wanted to yell her frustration out of its misery, before it was getting into her...

 _"Nothing makes sense anymore!"_ She just couldn't handle it anymore and begged for help.

...

"What do you mean? You got caught by an skunk?"

"I don't know! It just happened!"

"What do you mean? It just happened? You couldn't caught it with that kind of supercharged scent, you have?"

"Look! It got me by surprise! I had no idea! J.T. I was walking away from the appartement, after I left that castle thing and walked on her!"

"Her?

"Well, females skunks are way more dangerous than the males ones! They don't think twice, they attack right away!"

"And I thought that stupid french skunk from the Bugs cartoon was more irritating than the running cat..."had mumbled an frowning J.T who was standing out of the bathroom. His bathroom that Vincent had stayed in and never walked out of it. Ever since he locked himself in it, trying to rub away the skunk smell! And who says, that karma was a bitch?

After he left the coffee building, J.T went back to the club, wondering if he should call both Tess and Catherine about Medina's secret plan to expose Cat, or maybe Vincent as well, since he believed the fact that a third person was involved into the arrest scene. Both of them could probably end up in trouble. He tried to call up Vincent again, but once he stepped close enough to the bathroom door, he heard a dog's whining as he was about to step on Ed's furry tail. It got him by surprise. Not only, Ed had caught him, but there also was some clothes lying down on the floor. Black coat, scarf, shirt, pants and socks and boots for winter were all over the place. Clothes from yesterday that had the smell of an skunk and J.T knew where they came from. Vincent's. Let's just say the guy got attacked and can't get the smell out, so he locked himself into the bathroom.

Hang on, did he just say appartement? Catherine's appartement? Did Vincent sneaked up by visiting Catherine? Like he used to do years ago?

"After or before you got the chance to sneak up at Cat's place? That you got attacked by an not so happy female skunk?" Vincent just remained silent, at that question.

Opps!

He could imagine his buddy sitting down in the bathtub trying to rub away the smell with the amount of tomato juice he could find and manage to get rid of. However, he couldn't deny the fact, that even if he had stopped to see Catherine, he managed to watch her from a far.

"Big Guy?"

"I just wanted to make sure that she went home, safely...That's all..." He was her eternal guardian, after all.

"But I don't believe that she ever noticed me, I mean by watching her from the fire escape or from the castle thing..."He admitted at the end. Hold habbits die hard, lately. Even if he decided to stay away from her, he could still manage to watch her, like he used to. So that she could be safe and far away from him, from now on. But did he just said to himself that he would try to win her back? Maybe..

"But that skunk did caught you, right away..." Vincent just grunted at that remark, like it wasn't his fault.

"It's not funny! It really stinks!" If the situation wasn't serious, J.T would have laughed at the picture of his best friend getting caught by an skunk, after he left Catherine's place. But what happened when Vincent cut him off right after their call? Did he discovered something bad that could link to Tyler's murder? But something else came into his mind when he told this;

"It may sound out of ordinary, but do you remember a girl named Regan Bennett? Both of you were working at the same hospital, along with Jeffrey and Alex. I just saw her at the coffee shop and boy, she had changed from the last time I've seen her..." J.T wasn't sure of how Vincent would have reacted about that point, because whatever answer had came later on was silence. So he waited for a couple minutes with arms crossed, leaning next to the bathroom door as Ed walked over to his feet. A nice dog like Ed didn't deserve a guy like him, a guy with allergic problems like J.T.

Like he thought Vincent was taking forever to come out, he was about to hold the handle until he saw the door, moving up open on its own, but slowly. J.T just stared at the person's head pooping out from the room, in shock at Vincent's face full of tomato's juice like he was about to melt by any minute or that he came back from a very bad tomato juice rain. He gulped at that sight of his best friend's frowning expression...Should he run away, like a frighten and maniac guy, by now? He already had seen Vincent in horrible situations, but this? Him, covered in tomato juice at the moment? And before his eyes?

And the smell was even worse, than he thought as he pinched his nose with two fingers in disgust.

"What do you mean if I ever remembered some girl named Regan Bennett, that I used to work with? You mean back at Med school, right?"

...

"Try to contact Patrick, if we can get to him, I mean he didn't quite tell you all the horrible truth about his damsel in distress..."

"Well, let's see about that..."Cat tried to reach up Patrick through his phone number and waited for him to respond. It's been a hour that both of them took off and took the road to that club La Esperanza to meet the owner and the few girls that are working at the moment at the street or at the bar. They wanted to know more about Yalena and Gretchen's deal and including Oliver Alvarez, Lena's soon ex-abusive husband, as well...

And the famous Patrick from last night did not called back. Cat just checked her phone, frowning about the asbence of his voice.

"Nothing. After listening to his story and the fact he doesn't want any cops around, he decided that it was better to keep this between us. He and I exchanged numbers, so I can contact him about Lena...But only if it gets worse, we'll have to jump soon or later..."

"So, you really don't trust the guy?"

"I'm not gonna lie about that Tess. I agree to seek answers, I mean about Lena's doing, but I really don't trust him, even if he seemed really sincere and convincing...I just don't get the feeling that he had told me everything..." Her partner just shrugged her shoulders in agreement as her eyes were kept on the road and both hands on the wheel.

"Well, you follow with what your gut is telling you, Cat. I don't see anything wrong with that.."

"Just keep driving and find Lena and Gretchen, so we can get rid of this case as fast we can..." _And so I could get my mind clear and take a break from work, as well..._ She thought back, letting out a grunt. Leaning on the passanger seat, Catherine just had the feeling that she wouldn't never be able to get rid of this case any time sooner. It was a mess that she wanted to stay away from, but couldn't at all. It was because she didn't have the key to come out and mostly out from her personal heart feelings...

...

 **Okay I'm gonna stop right here for this moment. So what do you think? Tess and Cat are on their way to the club. Vincent is about to meet a few friends from the hospital soon. Tori is acting weird and Medina is leaving the Father and Daughter case to someone else, so he can focus on Tyler's case and busting Gabe for good, or that's what he thinks.**

 **Happy New Year! I'll try to write chapter nine soon, whenever I can.**

 **Reviews always makes me smile! So See Ya!**


	9. Chapter 9

**That's what you get, when you're reading romantic and suspense novels, you wanna write your own with your favorite couple!**

 **Thanks for your support!**

 **...**

After he left the autopsy room for giving the couple some private time with their deceased daughter lying on that table, Ash just sighed at the text he had received from a lost friend. It was just the wrong time and wrong place to do so. But he decided to leave the place for a moment. He would had it avoid it, but he knew that somehow, deep down, he couldn't do it any other way. He shook his head as his eyes read the text;

 _'I've seen J.T., at the coffee shop today and he still looks great after ten years! I've decided to host an reunion party tonight at the June's Place restaurant, remember that place we used to hang out, back at downtown? All of us together? You and I, along with Alex, Vincent, Jeffrey and J.T. Even with hard med studies, we used to have so much fun! So I thought with Vincent's big return back to the world, we can maybe catch up after all that time away. Just like old times, Ash. What do you think? Wanna come over?_

 _'Look, I have to go back home while Miguel is still at work, at the moment as I'm texting to you, but, please answer me, when you'll get this text!_

 _Regan!_

Dang that girl! Ever since she's been back in town, she tried to hang around with him and Jeffrey, despite whatever had happened a few months ago, during new year's day. It was a warning call for Regan, more like a waking up call to specify.

 _'Regan should be more careful around here, she can't just plantify an reunion party for old bunch of old farts like me, at the moment...'_ He had to be careful as well, Ward gave him that job because the precinct need a new medical examiner, when he was more of a pathologist, some guy working with the dead people. Its more save. Or, let's just say he used to, until now.

Regan had no other choice but to move back to New York, so that she could be close to her new boyfriend, Miguel, to Jeffrey and himself. It made her realize that living in California was an horrible mistake after that awful event that she went through. Ash wasn't so sure if he could make it up at the reunion, even if it meant for Regan's sake. It was way too soon and she wanted the whole gang, along with Vincent back together.

"Dr Kostopoulos, do you have a minute?" That startled him out from his thoughts. He ran a hand through his hair, hoping that no one had seen jumping like that. A little dignity here.

 _'At least, there some people who doesn't make fun of my last name..Unlike Vargas..'_ He put his phone back to his pants's pockets and looked up to the person who called him, trying to adjust his white lab coat, looking up good.

Medina, he came back after all. He watched him walking up to him with his partner, Nguyen. Comparing to his partner, Medina looked like he hadn't took a shower, mostly because he was working and giving everything he can possibly do for Tyler, bringing justice for her. As for Cheng, he looked clean in his black and formal suit. Way much more calmer than Medina. Taking his job very seriously, meaning by the book.

"What can I do for you, Detective?"

"I've heard from my partner here, that Mr and Mrs Stevenson had just arrived here. Isn't that true?"

"From I know, you're quite right, sir, they're at the practicing room, at the moment. I thought that I could leave them alone for a minute..."

 _'It's too hard to stand there and watch them cry over their daughter...'_ He almost had added back, trying to cover up his face from shock. However, Medina didn't seemed to notice any changing as he followed back;

"Mind, if I check in?" The doctor in him, just didn't wanted things to get any worse than they were already. Ash just sighed at this.

"I'm not sure if it's a good idea, Detective, they might need a moment to digest the fact their daughter won't probably never wake up alive from the autopsy table..." But Medina kept on insisting;

"I'm part of this case or more I know more of this case than Chandler and Vargas do know. They're Tyler Stevenson's parents and they do know me!"

"Medina! Seriously?" Had shushed Cheng back, trying to maintain the situation, but Medina kept doing his thing;

"Like I said, I've been with this case from the start, they need to know that I'm here..." Quite the demanding type here has thought the doctor looking up at the detective guy standing right in front of him. Not knowing what else to do, Ash sighed and pointed the door, at its direction.

"You think, it was a good idea to let him in?"He looked back at the other but quite silent detective, Cheng, who just shrugged like he was used to Medina's sturborness. "Well, I've been with him since two years, so I think I got used to his tantrums and drama, I believe.." Ash just watched Medina oppening the door to see and greet Tyler's parents in hurry.

"Drama huh?"

"Europeans genes, I say...He overdo it, at these times, like this..." _'That's why I moved out from my parents's house as fast as I could! Spare the drama and don't ever become like them!'_ had sighed the poor doctor anyways. Although he couldn't never deny his origins, he just wanted to be his own person, just not his parents at all.

"When's the funeral's coming up? I believe they wanted her buried, but I'm might need to do some tests here..."

"Cause of death was by blood loss, by someone who could had shot her in cold blood, no? We thought that was the conclusion of it? Why? Do you reconsider another autopsy exam?"

"I believe it by the scar on the chest, that her heart was stolen, but you never know anything at all. I mean, maybe her parents would want an second opinion..."

"So you're saying that you could be wrong?"

"Never said that, just the parents's opinion..." Ash hid any surprising features from his face at that point. He did not want that cop to think that he could easily be intimidated by an new comer. Cheng just waited at him to answer;

"I know my diagnosis very well, Detective Nguyen, and I'm rarely wrong about what I see when it comes to it, but if Tyler's parents do want an second opinion, it'll be up to them, not me..."

"I never doubted about your work, doctor, none of it. It's just that couple standing inside of that room wouldn't never be able to forgive the man who had put through their daughter into so much pain and to put her on that table of yours. Marked with death on her forehead. You may never understand the pain of losing a child, I did in the past and Medina is also a father of two kids as well, so it's kind of a important mission for the both of us..."had explained the asian cop back to the greek doctor's restraining face.

"And I don't care, the ADA Lowan is guilty or not, Medina and I would make sure he gets what he deserves at the end. They waited for a very longtime until they had the word that Tyler had ended up in that fridge, and mostly frozen to death, but from you told us, it turns out that she was killed in cold blood, before being put in that cold place..." Ash, just tried to stay silent at that comment as the cop followed with this;

"After Medina and I talk with the parents, I'll go back to the crime scene and check with a specialist about frozen places. Cryopresevation or Cryonic to specify..." _Cryopreservation? Oh no, that's sounds very bad._

"What about searching for another Jack Ripper? I mean her heart was stolen by the way. Could you guys reconsider about finding the guy who stole it? I mean, before putting all charges on Lowan's back?" He sounded like a stupid idiot by saying that to the cop, but it would be better before making a step that you might regret later on. At this, Cheng just grinned, but only from a small corner to his face, which creeped out Ash.

"The idea is not bad, I have to say, we can always look up from that point, doc." As he said that, Cheng turned his back from Ash and walked away with both hands in his pockets as he wasn't bothered to miss a important family reunion. He may not know the guy much, but he could say that Cheng was making him feel uncomfortable when he was around. At his early thirties, Cheng was the quiet one and less built than Medina, even if he wore the usual black suit that made his shoulders broader, but still. Ash had a few problems with his weight back in the past, but kinda wished he could go good as Cheng and a few other guys like Jeffrey and Vincent.

It's gonna be hard to see old ghosts again. It's been eleven years now that he hadn't seen Vincent, but what about Regan, how would she react if she ended up seeing him again?

' _Dang, it's a mess...'_ he thought back as he felt his vibrate in his pocket. He looked back the room behind him, hoping it didn't bothered the few people in it and checked up his phone. But as he recognized the person who had sent the text, he just read it with a frown:

 _"So, ex-fatso boy, are you gonna show up tonight or not?"_

That stupid guy. Even after eleven years, Jeffrey Rafferty was still a pain in the ass! Ash just sighed shaking up his head, feeling completly hopeless. Soon or later, he'll have to face some old ghosts from the past and one of them was a guy named Vincent Keller. A old buddy from med school, whom he believed to be dead for at least ten and awful years, until today.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have fun, tonight! That's for sure!" he cursed back as he cringed his teeth in frustruation. He typed Jeffrey back with a clear message.

...

"Hang on a minute, did you just said; Regan and Jeff?" After a disastrous meeting of "bad air" J.T pinched his nose with a clothespin in order to stay alive for a few years to come, if he's ever gonna make it by living with Vincent around. Along with an whimpering Ed, hidding behind his feet, he managed to stay away from his friend standing near close to the bar when Vincent was sitting on a couch. Quite far enough. He couldn't blame J.T for running like a banshee away from him when he pooped his head out from the bathroom. Skunk smell, to specify. It wasn't his fault if he got _pwned_ by a skank in the middle of the night!

And there he was in his long blue bathrobe, fingers intertwined and sitting on the couch, looking completely guilty at his best friend and dog. Like a kid that got caught by trying to steal cookie from the cookie jar. More of a skunk jar.

"Don't look at me like that!" Even with his nose pinched and a very pitched voice, because of holding his breath, J.T still seemed to look pissed off as Vincent tried to defend himself back and forth.

"How am I looking at you?"

"Like you got caught for stealing a cookie from the cookie jar, idiot!"

"Don't raise your voice! You're scaring Ed!"he pointed at the frigthen dog hidding himself behind J.T's feet which did not make anything good cause he really felt the need to sneeze up and with a clothespin hanging on his nose, J.T just felt like he was about to choke out and faint soon. He needed air and fast! And he's not gonna make it alive with Vincent and Ed, being in the same room with them and he hoped not to turn out like a smurf!

"He's afraid of everybody! But he can't live up like that for the rest of his life!"

"Easy for you to say...Ed needs some adjustement with other people, J.T. that's true, but that kind of thing takes time..." The dog has PTSD, not only people suffers mental disorders, animals do as well. Anyways, that's one thing that both Vincent and Ed are sharing together and later became friends.

"Whatever, you said something about Regan and Jeff; what happened with them?"

"You mean, you remember them?"

"Don't change the subject again, man, I do remember about Regan, I mean I knew her as a shy girl with big and huge glasses, that used to hang around Alex and Jeff, a total badass with women, from what I know.."

"Boy, you do remember..." Before J.T could go farther, Vincent just glared at him. A look that meant 'Do not repeat the part of; Do you ever remember any of this or that?' His best friend managed to take a few steps away from the bar, hoping he won't turn blue, in any time.

"Ah, yeah, about that. Look, it's been a longtime since I've seen her around and she took me by surprise back at the coffee place..." he started to explain as Vincent waited for him to follow. "Anyways, she told me that she was back in town, in order to be close with her new boyfriend, Miguel and maybe planning an reunion party, now that you're back here..."

"Not sure if it's a good idea, J.T. I mean, Tori tried to help me out, but I think it's enough of exposure, with the TV and charities events stuff. I'm not sure if it's ok to go out and do, whatever I want..."

"Yeah, I agree, we should be more careful, I mean think back about the last events we've been through and I'm sure you know of what I'm mean..."

"Yeah, I do know.."

"But it's Regan and friends, Big Guy, what worse could possibly happen?" Leave Medina's invistigation away for the moment. J.T knows that soon or later, he has to tell Vincent about Medina's true attentions about exposing him and Catherine, one day or another. Hopefully, he was afraid that his buddy would hear his heart beat fastening up about that thought.

"You're considering of going to that party with me?"

"Look, I know it's like bombshell to you of all sudden, but Vincent, do you, at least, want to know more about your past buddies? Because, I do want to know and take a break from all that beast researches drama and try to live a normal life, at least for one night, don't you think?" It was kinda true, he did wanted to know whatever happened with Regan and the others, though. It's been ten years, since Vincent had seen them all.

"Won't think it would hurt, if we don't try, no?"

"Vincent, no one tried to attack us, ever since the kidnapping thing and with you hidding back at your place, but we can't keep hidding for the rest of our lives, that makes us look like cowards and I'm sure you don't want to look like that..."

"Don't get me wrong, J.T, I do want a normal life and I don't want to look like a coward, by hidding-"

"So? What do you think? Wanna take the shot?"

"Who do you think is gonna be there?"

"I believe, Regan is gonna be there, Jeffrey and that fatso guy which I don't remember the name, anymore. The June's Place restaurant downtown, she said that we all used to go there along with Alex..." At that name's sound, whitening flashes of memories came through his mind one by one. Memories of him, Alex and J.T. along with a few other friends sharing miso soup, dumplings with a couple beers, sharing a group of laugh. Memories about Alex were little for him to remember, but he did remembered a shy blond haired girl with glasses, hidding behind her best friend's back when it came to introductions.

It was back at the hospital, Benjamin's Hospital where he used to work there before along with Alex and Jeffrey. At their lunch break, J.T. happened to be there as well, until it happened...

 _"Hey guys, I have someone to introduce to you!"_ Three heads turned to the owner's voice who was approaching herself to them. Alex, the girl who used to be one who made his heart beat, before all the mess had began;

 _"Hey Regan, don't be so shy! Come out and greet Vincent!"_ Coming out from the kind red haired girl, was a shy blond haired girl with huge big glasses in her blue scrubs, hands behind her back and head down. Her hair tied up into a ponytail and, boy, that girl was bitting her lip up, being so nervous as she managed to spit out something like this;

 _"Hiya! Vincent...Huh...D-D-Don't you...Don't you... Don'tyoujustlikethesun?"_ That just left him stuck for a minute. He raised his eybrows in confusion, at this. He never heard so many words glued up together in one reply, till now. He stood up to her height.

 _"Heeey, it's nice to meet you!"_ he replied back with a smile as he greeted her with a nice handshake, not so sure if he had to kiss her on her cheek, in front of Alex's questionning stare. He managed to to avoid the akward and stuttering moment, but he was sure enough to punch J.T. and Jeffrey who were laughing behind his back as they were eating their lunch.

It's been a longtime since he'd been out at the sun and that doesn't include the skunk smell.

"And before you ask, she did not stutter at all, I believe she got rid of it.." Well that solved the problem, cause the Regan he remembered did that a lot, like blushing and added words like; Don't you just like the sun? Vincent? or you don't starve yourself to death, right Vincent? Just no sense.

"So, when it comes to have an normal conversation, Regan won't mess it up, I mean, she wouldn't say something like if you still are taking your tums, whenever you feel like having an ulcer, right?" At this, J.T. just frowned when Vincent tried not to burst in laughing to his face.

"How about the guy who ended up smelling like a skunk? After he stalked his ex-girlfriend back at her fire-escape? You find this funny?"

"How about the guy talking with a clothespin, barely hanging on his nose? Like he's trying to hold his breath away from a beast?"

"It's your fault, for stepping on a female skunk's tail! Guess who's looking more stupid here?"

"You accuse me of being stupid?"

"When it comes to giving up on the girl of your dreams? I'd say so!" Vincent just shut himself at that as J.T. followed;

"What bad can happen if you show up at that reunion? I believe Regan would be happy to see you alive, after ten and awful years.."

"But, if something goes wrong?" His best friend just groaned when he said this;

"Then, we'll go home by midnight, if you ever end up like a pumpkin..I'm sure, she and the others would understand, Big Guy.." J.T waited for an answer from his best friend as he folded his arms as he waited for Vincent to answer. Vincent really wanted to see his old friends from med school, but what if; it ended to be an disaster? Would he be able to forgive himself for that? Look what happened with Catherine; he made a stupid choice by siding with Tori and his beast side and not listening to Cat. No wonder, he decided to stay away in order to keep her safe, from his mess. But what about them? Regan and the others? Would he bring more trouble than he already had done, to the people he loves? Catherine ended up shooting him, from doing the irreparable and he hated her for doing it, but what about now? He could try and be an better person than he used to? Wait! Did J.T just said about him turning into a pumpkin?

"So, Vincent?" Vincent just sighed as he rubbed his temple, before adding as he looked up at J.T.;

"At what time, did Regan told you to show up?"

...

"So you did not see anything particular? I mean, out of ordinary with one of the girls trying to order some guy around?" The frail barmaid in a black bustier top was busy cleaning up the bar, that she wasn't bothered with the questions that were being asked;

"From what I know, I do not think so, I mean, there's many guys who wants to have an affair here and it's pretty free when they're very demanding.."

"Free to have sex?" The barmaid just raised an eyebrow at this question that asked Catherine sitting at the bar as she watched her cleaning up the glasses with an old rag. However, she just shrugged as she followed with this;

"What can I say? Some girls like to play dirty, others just like to waste their vaginas out.."

"What about those who likes to play dirty, around here?"

"Well, when I mean 'dirty' I mean those girls who are being swore to never tell the truth, which happen often, after a week of having fun. They probably end up calling their client's wives about the fact that their man is cheating with ever girl they can find under their nose..." Catherine just sighed at that. It's been no longer than thirty minutes than she and Tess had arrived into the club. Tess had agreed to talk with the owner while Cat talked with the girls, seeking out answers from them, but it didn't turned out to be much of help since the most of them were out or all sleep at their rooms upstairs. So Cat ended up talking with the barmaid in front the bar. Jang Ji-Yeon, who goes by the name of Lina for short. Korean descendant, Lina joined the bar in her mid twenties and have been here ever since. However, a few years later, she refused to add any relationship to her work, consindering the fact that she was getting old, had volenteered to work at the bar, than upstairs anyways.

"They end up calling their clients's relatives?"

"From what I've heard, I mean, I did that as well, once. When I heard that I've got some dirty stuff growning up on me.."

"Such as?" What came later had surprised Cat, when the short chopped strawberry blond haired barmaid added with this ;

"Got diagnosed as HIV-positive and been paying my AZT medication, ever since two years...Yep, one of the clients wasn't so honest with an old hag like me and I ended up calling his wife, saying that he might soon or later, give her babies rats.." Lina snickered as she folded her arms to her chest, looking back at Catherine. "Pay back vengeance, you know?"

"Ouch..." No wonder, Lina gave up on that job and became an barmaid, at the end. It wasn't such an payful job, but if it means by staying away from contaminating people around, then Lina made a hard decision. "I'm very sorry to hear that.."

"No, you're not and you're just doing your job; asking dumping questions like whomever had slept with what kind of people and that..." Couldn't deny that fact. When Tess and Cat arrived here, they both decided to switch places. That Tess would be talking with the owner while Cat would go ask the girls around, since she seems to be the one that looks more tolerant and understanding type than her partner would do.. Chicken. Tess just wanted to know if Alvarez was being good enough to the owner. Very good enough!

"How about that question; Did you ever saw a guy named Oliver Alvarez, coming here to have a pleseant evening? or-"

"You mean, if he ever screwed around here with a few girls? Could be..I only know the guy as the owner of the financials things, you know? But I wouldn't be surprised if he ever cheated behind his wife's back.." So she did know.

"So, you knew, that he had a wife? A woman who fled the country, named Yalena Sandler...Did you knew her, I mean well enough?"

"Could barely spelt her name, but not quite..."

"What about another woman named Gretchen Hermandez? You must know her?"

"Just to hear her name, makes me think of a girl who liked to fool around..." Lina did not gave her answers she expected but she did tried anyway so. As she stood up from her booth seat, Catherine gave her a card, just in case if any memory comes by again. The frail barmaid just took her card with a frown just as she took a peak at it and went back to work under the detective's watch, like nothing happened.

"Mind telling me; about the rest of the girls?"

...

Catherine stepped up to the stairs after Lina gave her the way up to the bedrooms that most of the girls spent their nights with their clients. The bar looked like an ancient brothel from the late 18th centries. Down were the showtime with alchool with full of colors and upstairs were the pleasure and desire, however with darkness. Since the walls were darker and messy like a tornado just busted in. Each of the girls had their room and their private moments as they were getting their paid. Cat wasn't so sure about asking Lina about Tyler's murder, since the barmaid didn't seemed to look interested about it. With her Glock in its hostler that held by her right hip, she took a look at each chamber, hoping not to disturb the girls's so called nighttime. Each room had a name from left to right to the end of the corridor; Helga, Alicia, Olga, Anna, Evagelia, Kayla, Natasha and mostly but not lastly, Lina, Gretchen and Yalena. Ten girls living here.

Gretchen's and Lena's rooms were both in front of each other and Lina's was between of them. Too bad that Catherine didn't had a searching warrant, she would have had checked both rooms in order to find a clue. Lina wasn't a suspect because she knew little about Tyler's murder and Lena and Gretchen's deal. But that could always change, in any minute. She turned to her left side as Gretchen's room was standing there to her sight. Should she go into the room or not? The door was not wide open, but enough big to peek in it as Cat couldn't help herself but leaned a little bit closer...

"Wanna bust in?" The detective had almost lost her balance at that unfamiliar voice and spin around, startled to see a woman in her mid-twenties, long blond locks falling on her shoulders. Probably not her real color. Brown eyes that were looking at her, amused. She only wore a pink but silk nightrobe, that her belt was holding tight enough to breathe. She lighten up a cigarette as she continued to stare at Catherine.

"I said; Do you wanna bust in that room?"

"Sorry, can't do that, I don't have a searching warrant-.." "But you wanna go in? Which it was what you were about to do?"had cut the girl as she took a smoke from her cigarette and breathe it out in front of Cat's face. Leaning on the door, the girl took a look at the female cop.

"Nice boots, wished I could have these, must cost a good fortune..."

"And who are you, by the way?"

"The name's Evagelia, but gentlemen like to call me Eve, like the first woman on earth.."

"I thought Lilith was the first?"

"Some say that, but let's just say that Eve used to give Adam what Lilith couldn't, I'd like to believe that she ended up cursing him at the end of the day. And the rest is history..."

"Just like you give them? I mean you provide things to guys that come around here? Provide things that their wives can't do?" had asked Catherine as she listened to Eve's 'anology' of providing things to guys that others women couldn't just do. The smirk on Eve's face disappeared at that question as Catherine smirked back at her face. Payback. It's Lilith against Eve, from now on.

"Why were you looking at Gretchen's room, by the way?"

"I just wanted to know what kind of life she's been living now, I mean we were good friends back at school, but she ended leaving at the end. But her new boyfriend had showed up at the station, stating he was worried about what's she been doing, at the moment..."

"Like?"

"Like, I don't know. Do you think she has problems with drugs or with a client?"That just left Eve silent at this. "I know for one thing that she liked to have things under control with the clients, so surprises were out of the picture..I mean, she was good at it..."Inhaling the smoke, Eve just tried to play cool at this, but somehow, Cat felt like she knew too much about the situation.

"Like she managed to avoid surprises pregnancies or contaminating diseases?" That talk with Lina kinda left her uncomfortable the fact that the ex-escort girl had told her that she was HIV-positive, so Catherine wondered if the girls were smart enough to protect themselves. Eve looked back at her, like her words just stabbed her.

"We do know how defend to ourselves! Just because we are paid to sleep around, that doesn't mean that we all are stupid!" And before Catherine could answer, she dropped her cigarette on the floor, pushed the cop out of the way as she walked right into Gretchen's room, slamming the door hard behind her back. Catherine wasn't so sure of what to do now, she didn't meant to upset Eve, but she wanted answers about Yalena and Patrick hadn't told her all the truth, so she had her reasons to ask questions, right?

When she was about to turn back away, the door opened back and Eve came out of it. Holding a blue card as she handle it back at the stunned cop;

"I'm not sure if she has trouble marked on her forehead, but as I busted into her drawner next to her bed, I found this!" Cat looked down at the card, before her eyes went up to Eve, who looked frustrated back at her. Damn, that girl was wearing nothing but a pink G-string and that pink silk nightrobe whose belt had finally loosen up from its tie. Cat could had swored that Eve's perfect and big boobs were revealing themselves up-

"Well, are you gonna take it or not?" Or I'll have to put into your mouth? She could have guessed that instead. Cat took out a pair of gloves from her coat's pocket and wore them, before she snatched the card from Eve's fingers.

"Don't say I did not do anything good..."These were the last words coming out from Evagelia, before she walked away. Smashing the cigarette with her foot and entered her room. The third room after Yalena's at the right side.

...

"So anything, from your side?" Catherine heard Tess's voice as she was walking down stairs. "Not so much though, what about you? Did the owner told you about our beloved ones?" Her partner just rolled her eyes up as they were both exiting the club as they walked out;

"Same thing like you. Nothing big. But Esperanza did told me about Álvarez's doing here, like the fact that he ended up saving the club from shutting down its doors. Not only he's a surgeon, but he saved enough money to bring it back up and my gut's telling me that he's using the foundation's gold..." Catchy, catchy baby boy. So the owner's name was Esperanza after all, she decided to name the club after herself.

"Damn..What a nice excuse.."

"And you know what else? Esperanza is about to retire soon and the job would go to the ex-escort girl.." Catherine just took a step back as Tess was about to get her keys out to open the driver's door. When she heard nothing coming from her partner, she looked up at her;

"You mean, Lina?" That was unexecpted. Lina didn't mentionned about getting any heritage, probably because she thought it wasn't important.

"Whatever her name is. Let's just say that Lina would inherit the bar soon as Esperanza leaves. The old lady told me that she plans to move to Colorado Springs to be more closer to her mother and kids.." However, Catherine wasn't done with this. Lina may looked ok, at the moment, but an illiness like hers can change to any moment.

"Tess is not what I meant. I mean, Lina is very sick, she has HIV..." Ouch, her partner just whistled at this.

"That girl has some dirty rats running in her blood..."

"Tess, seriously, this could be very bad! Do you think that Esperanza or Alvarez knows about this kind of problem?" However her partner just rolled her eyes at this.

"Come on, Cat, don't freak out! If Esperanza or Alvarez knows about that kind of thing, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem, and besides, HIV illiness is better controled today than it was thirty years ago...Now, get in..." She gestered the passanger door that she opened up for Catherine, as she stepped in. Like she despised the cold winter so badly, she went inside the car and closed the door back. Just as Tess was starting to warm up the car, Cat just added this;

"Looks like Gretchen has a date tonight..."

"Which one? Your escaping friend or the whore?" With that, Cat gave her a tired look, explainning;

"No, I mean Lena. A girl from the club stepped inside of her room and brought out a blue card. And yes, with a guy's name and phone on it..." The thought of her stepping in Gretchen's room was off of limits according to the law and without a search warrant, Catherine could've had ended up in trouble. However, it felt so easy when Eve went there, without caring about her neighbour's reaction to this.

"Did that girl told you where Lena was gonna meet her 'date'? Any location?"

" _June's place,_ at downtown something like that, I believe...There was a blue card with a certain guy's name written on it, along with his number..." And might have Eve's fingerprints all over. With the deepest care, Cat tried to keep the blue card clean and sealed in a small plastic ziplog bag, hidden in her purse next to her seat.

"Too bad, we cannot reach that dumbass Patrick, to fill us more information about his girlfriend..."As she started up the car, she added with this; "Let's try to locate Alvarez's location and if he's not there, we'll bother him up at work. Even bust him in surgery..."At this, Catherine's phone vibrated into her coat. She took it out and stared at it when Tess got out from the club's parking.

"Looks, like we won't have to bother him, anyways..." It was Patrick himself on the phone. That was going to be interesting, but Tess shook her head, with both hands on the wheel, she couldn't look to see whom was waiting on the phone.

"Sorry, cannot look, Cat. But put him on speaker, I'd like to imagine his reaction when he'll hear that he had been caught on lying about his so called girlfriend..." Damn, she was angry now. Cat could bear it as well. The guy had whitheld the evidence that Yalena and Gretchen had switched identities, which was turning to be a messy case. Putting him on speaker, she said to him;

"Hey there, Patrick, so how's life going?"

 _"I'm sorry, I couldn't called you back, but last night, I felt like I was being watched, so I had to be careful..."_

"Watched? By whom?" That was interesting to hear.

 _"I don't know, but it felt like someone had a huge hammer under my head, but I'm sorry that I couldn't called you back, earlier on..."_

"So you took care of that person, no?"

 _"I'm sorry, I don't understand what do you mean now.."_ It was Patrick's turn to ask questions, not knowing where this conversation is going now. He had been caught.

"Okay, how about this question; Why did you lie during the interrogation, last night?"

 _"Lie to you? I've told you everything I know about Gretchen-"_ But Cat decided to jump in at this answer;"Not about the switching part with both Gretchen and Yalena here. Stop making excuses, Patrick. My partner, Tess and I went through bailing out prostitues files, and an certain Gretchen Hermandez was in there, but Yalena wasn't. So why did you lie about something important like that?"she could hear, or believed to have heard Patrick groan at that. He did not told her the whole truth, after all. He was scared for his girlfriend, so he had every reason to be. Right?

 _"I told you that she was under an alias..."_ True. He did said that Yalena was living under a fake name, but still, the fact that both girls ended switching names could end up bad, though. What if Álvarez ended up finding the wrong ex-wife? Yalena, could be the very bad girl Gretchen, in disguise. Gretchen, could be the very nice woman Yalena, who was on the run after sending her daughter away. Catherine frowned at his answer, she eyed up at Tess, who was focusing on the road, but was listening to their conversation, anyways.

"Still, you did not tell me about the switching part, Patrick. The real Gretchen could end up in trouble, if her cover is blown. And what about Lena in all of this? Your girlfriend could also be found by now...What about the girls and Esperanza? Do they know about this?" Catherine's mind was full of questions now. So much, that she wanted to rip off Pratrick's head out from his neck. She was so frustruated that she felt her ears boiling of smoke and were coming out, like in those cartoons shows.

 _"Why do you think, that I looked nervous to you, last night? I was afraid to get caught and Lena knew what kind of mess she would be getting into...That's why I wanted to talk to you and things like that, just couldn't be told on the phone..."_

"Change the subject, Cat, I can feel you burning fire here. Tell him to come by the station, tomorrow morning and about that date that Lena is having tonight, before you hang up..."had whispered Tess back to her boiling partner, it wouldn't do nothing if Catherine was about to lose it over a suspect now. Yup, Patrick lied, so makes him a suspect. No?

"How about that date that Lena is about to have with? Patrick? Do you know where she'll be showing up?"

 _"Alright, At June's place. Eleveen or midnight of clock, I'm not sure about that. All I know it's a chinese-japanese colloboration and chick bar. Lena would show up tonight with someone..."_

"And the real Gretchen?"

 _"I think she has an appointement at the hospital after work...Tonight.."_

"What is she sick, or something?"

 _"All I know is that one of her hernia has fallen and she has to take it out, before it gets worse..She's been trying to take a appointement, ever since a week. So it is important.."_

"Which hospital?"

 _"New York's"_ Now it was Tess's turn to talk, as she kept her eyes to the road, she added this; "Patrick? It's Detective Vargas talking here, I hope you're telling us the truth now, that you're not fooling us around. Cause, once my partner is in, I'm also into that case. Got it? There's no secrets between the three of us. I hope it's clear to you?"

 _"I got it...I just wanted to protect her. Protect Lena..."_ he followed with a sigh that sounded like he had accepted to lose the fight.

"I know it's hard, Patrick, but if we both want to save and protect Lena and Gretchen, we have to know everything. Like we both know at which place Lena is showing up, but what about Gretchen? What she'll be doing, before going to the hospital?"

 _"Probably at the club. She's been doing long shifts ever since she and Lena switched places, but also because two girls had both taken two weeks off.."_

"It is quite big for her to take care of big burden like that. No wonder her hernia fell out, with the stress and the pressure for the protection stuff. Why didn't she asked the other girls, to help her out?"

 _"She did not ask any of them. And plus, she needed the money for the surgery.."_

"At what time is the surgery?"

 _"Around eleven of clock. She should be leaving around at nine, to get the first train and bus in order to get to the hospital early..."_

"Good, because my partner Tess would go and visit her, before she gets to see her doctor.." had interrupted Catherine before Patrick could say anything else and to an shocken Tess who just wide eyed Cat at that. The interest one had followed with this; "While I'll go and talk to Lena..." she eyed her partner back, with an annoying look that meant 'We have to stop this madness, before it gets any worse than this!'

 _"But Detective!"_

"You told me to reasonate her. No? Well, guess what? Patrick, we'll gonna end this now, before it gets our asses!" she added back, before hanging up her phone with a deep breath. Once she calmed down, she looked back at her shaken partner who had no idea of what they'll be getting themselfs into; "Got any plans, tonight? You'll have to cancel them, Tess, cause you and I are going out.."

...

Later at night...

"J.T, you've got to be kidding me!"

"No, I'm not and plus without your beast effect, you shouldn't scare Ed off, anyways...It's only for one night, Tori, I'm sure you can handle it without Gabe's help.." had said J.T as he handled Ed's red leash to the former beast girl's hands. She wasn't sure if she could handle it on her own. Especially with a petrified dog like Ed who just wanted to go back to the houseboat with Vincent, but J.T and Big Guy were having friends night, dogs weren't allowed at bars. So, he ended up packing some food for Ed, a huge Pedrigee bag was closer to the entry door, two bowls and a few toys, including Ed's giant pulshie and yellow duck.

"And where does he sleeps?"

"He might prefer the living room, but since he's far away from home, he might surprise you at bed..." Tori's widened at that picture, a dog lying on bed?

"WHAT?"

"Look Tori, I know you hate the idea as much as I do, but I don't have any choice, ok? I got a lot on my plate at the moment and for once, I just want to forget it and so does Vincent. Only one normal night between friends, Tori and that's all..."

Jeffrey, Regan, Miguel, Regan's boyfriend, Vincent, J.T and Fatso Boy, or whatever his name is...However, Alex cannot show herself to the reunion, for her safety, in case if something bad happens. It's gonna be weird to see old faces again, like Zach wasn't much of trouble in the past. After he texted and assured Regan that both him and Vincent would definally show up at the reunion, he had to look presentable and forced his bestfriend by dragging him back to the bathroom, stating that he had to get rid of that skunk smell after Vincent had almost wanted to share a hug with him. J.T had felt like _dying_ there.

"Use the whole tomato juice or use Krebaum's formula.."

"Krebaum's formula? What is that?"

"My time of dying! Use Google! Smartass!"he had said back in one only breath, before grabbing Vincent's collar and dragged him back into the bathroom, without he could say anything else and slammed the door hard; "And don't come out until you get rid of it!"

"What if it doesn't come out? What should I do?"

"Use one of Sara's colognes! It should hid the effect!"

And there was Ed to handle now. Cat or Tess couldn't kept him for the night neither can Gabe, so Tori was quite the last person he ended to be with. Or did not want to be in the same place with. He does know that she ended up saving his life and sacrificed her own for him, giving time for both Cat and Vincent to find them just in time. It was a little uncomfortable to be with her right now and without Gabe's presence here. Dressed in clean casual and formal clothes, he checked his watch; It was almost 9pm and the reunion was around at that time.

"Look, I have to go, Tori and don't worry about Ed, he's a nice fella. He has food, water and toys, his giant duck is very important to him and when he does these big puppy eyes at you, it means he's hungry and can barely fight on his own. About the walking thing..."

"How's Vincent?" Here we go again! He knew that Tori shouldn't see or even know about Vincent at the moment, or else Gabe wouldn't have no choice but to put eletronic bracelet on her. An tracking device, if she ever crosses a line again. Tori has to give up on her obsession or else it could end up, pretty much like Glenn Close. And speaking about puppy eyes, she pleaded him with her green orbs and J.T knew he shouldn't fall for them.

"I..I..I've got to go now! I'll be back tomorow morning! See ya!" And he left even before she could say anything to hold him back.

...

'Never been into a room that sounded so much like a party rave, but without the drugs...' had thought Catherine as she walked into the bar, cligning on her small blue purse as she was looking around the the dark colorful of spotting lights were all over the place to the dance floor where people were talking out loud trough the very loud music and dancing between friends. From three to two stairs from the dance floor, tables were at the left corner were men and women, mostly on a date, were having a drink or were enjoying each other's company. The bartenders behind the bar were busy, but not into the rushing feeling. However, coming from the wall behind them were a couple of stairs that people kept coming up and down. Maybe a place a place to play pool and casino stuff. Men and men. Women and women. Men and women holding hands...It very different from the IL Cantuccio's bar.

Cat just shook her head at that thought. She shouldn't be looking for a date, but tracking an old friend here. Lena should probably show herself by any minute, at what time did Patrick said that she and her date would come up? Around eleven? Tess had decided to go back to the club to try and talk to the real Gretchen, before she could leave for her appointement, but till now, there were no messages coming from her partner in mission. She re-adjusted her blue dress and decided to go to the bar section to get a drink while waiting for Lena to show up. Sitting on the booth stool, she looked down on the menu on the counter just as an asian barmaid in her mid-twenties with too much make-up on, approached to her side. Cat smiled up at her and pointed the menu;

"I'll have some bretzels and the Nigori Sake bottle for shots..." Ouch that's gonna cost a lot.

"Which one do you want? Sayuri, Ozeki, Sho Chinku Bai?"

"I'll take the pink one, the Sayuri bottle..I'm waiting for a friend who might show up by now.."

"Guy or Girl?"

"I..Uh..Blind date?" she made that up. Why do you want to know that? Anyways, the barmaid just shrugged, not interested with the social media of today, the whole world must be a mess.

"Good luck with that.. I knew some guy that went on a blind date and went bad.."With that she went back to take care of another costumer who sat next Cat. She sighed in relief as she took off and drop her blue coat and purse on another booth at her left side. But as she was about to take her phone to check if Tess had responsed or not, she heard something familiar coming from the stairs. She looked up as she recognized J.T's laugh as he was laughing with a beautiful blond and wavy haired girl and a dark haired guy with tanned skin along. However, it wasn't them that made her heart stop its _heartbeat_ at the moment she landed her eyes on someone that was coming behind the first three people.

She was stunned to see a very quiet but smiling Vincent who was walking right behind them.

...

 **I'm sorry for the long wait, but I was dealing with depression and it was hard for me to write with bad thoughts in mind. However here's chapter nine, I'll see what I can do with next one. I hope you appreciated the hard work I do now. Thank you for your support Beasties! And please sent me a review, it always makes me smile!**


	10. Chapter 10

Meanwhile when J.T was dropping Ed into Gabe's loft, Ash was talking to his assistant through speaker as he was driving to reach up the club. Trying to keep his attention to the dark road with both hands on the wheel, he followed with this;

"Look, all I want from you Fujiko, is to call me when you get the tests results.."

 _"If I get nothing at all? What am I gonna tell the cops, or Tyler's parents?"_

"Just tell them the truth. Just do the health checkup, examine the rest of the organs'state. Give it a try.."he explained with a sigh and added as he looked down on his phone. "Soon or later, they'll gonna face the fact that their precious daughter ended up dead by blood lost.." Anyways, the truth always hurts. After that talk with Cheng, he thought about reconsidering of doing an second autopsy, just to make sure he wasn't on the wrong way. But since he has plans tonight, he just couldn't come up to his promises, so he ended up calling his assistant.

 _"Or maybe frozen to death.."_ He swallowed a silent cursing.

"Whatever. Look, I'm already late and I shouldn't be talking on the phone when I'm driving, might get cops's attention by now. Just text me if you find something that I did not..And even if takes all night, text me tomorrow morning.." Usually it takes at least a whole week for doing a health checkup and receiving the results, but he knows that Fujiko Tanaka is one of his best assistants that he ever has worked with, so she shouldn't disappoint him.

 _"You got it! Boss! And take it easy with liquor, don't want you to be sick tomorrow morning!"_ Despite the hard work she's been told to do, she always managed to do her best in everything. If not, she always has good contacts. She and Ash, had worked with an experimental ME guy, a few years before, so they could always have each other's back, no matter what.

 _"And be sure to bring me, a big french vanilla cappuccino for the hard work, tomorrow morning! And be sure to not throw up your stomach on it!"_ And hung up. Bossy that girl!

He shook his head, it's not being sick in the morning that he was worried about, but having to tell J.T and Vincent, two guys he hadn't seen for almost ten years, tell them facts that had happened ever since they both parted ways. The gang that used to be solid back then, ended parting theirs ways after Vincent had enlisted to the army. However, if Ash had agreed about going to that reunion it was for Regan's sake. How Vincent would take the truth about Regan's return to town? If that guy ever remembers his own past life.

"Let's just hope that nothing ends badly when I'll reach up, there.."he murmured to himself.

 _..._

Catherine couldn't take her eyes elsewhere else than to look at him. _Vincent._ He made his way walking behind a very happy and enjoying J.T who was talking to a very beautiful and wavy blond haired girl and a dark haired guy that looked like he was coming out from the sun. From her very careful sight, she could see that Vincent had lost some weight, nothing dangerous of course. He had shaved and looked clean, like the last time she had seen him. Despite the dark circles under his eyes and a quite interesting _scent_ coming from him. He still looked like the same strong man she had last seen, ever since J.T's kidnapping, they both lost contact to each other as Catherine was too much focusing on her work, trying to get rid of any thought of Vincent coming into her mind.

And what did Vincent do? In all this? Courting Tori or did he just decided to leave town and come back later on? Like nothing had happened? A part of her wanted to go and greet him like a normal friend should do. No, more like taking his black leather jacket and shirt off and the rest of his clothes off of him, so that she could carress him and feel his magnificent, strong and muscular biceps of his with her palms on his skin, giving him pleasure of eternal and merciful life..Kiss him, sharing a very savouring kiss with his lips. Breathing into his deepest kisses. Bite him everywhere with very much pleasure...His caloussed hands all over her...

 _Snap out of it! Bitch!_

She put her elbows on the counter and hid her face with her hands, trying to calm herself down. She was a strong woman, she can handle an ex coming up at the same bar like she does. Everybody is free do to what they want, no? She should be working here, not looking for a prey, however pulsing emotions were resurfing and she hated them. Expecially, when her back was facing his sight.

"There you go! The bretzels and the Sayuri bottle with two shots. Hope your date did not ditched you here..."That had startled Cat when she put her eyes back to the owner's voice. The barmaid came back with her order, bringing the pink bottle along with two small sizes of glasses for shots with a bowl of bretzels. Thank god for that distraction, she wasn't so sure if she would had made it alive with thoughts of Vincent and herself, stripping each other's clothes off.

 _Here we go again! Just get drunk already!_

Forgetting about waiting any longer, she took the bottle, got rid of the cap and pour herself a drink, in hurry. She swallowed the hot and creamy drink with a grimace down,feeling the drink burning inside of her throat. A little too fast, to say. Not sure if it's the asian part of her that makes it go weird when it comes to drinking a drink, or it's just herself losing up her mind.

"Hey, take it easy. This stuff is strong when you're not used to it.." You're telling this now? Cat just waved her hand, like it didn't mattered at all.

"Gee, thanks for saying it..." Gee, she hated that asian part of herself. She could handle a few red wine glasses, but to something else that she wasn't used to it? She'll gonna lose it for sure. Just when she assured the barmaid with a firm smile, she saw two other people coming in and she sure had recognized that laugh, that girly laugh coming from no other but...Yalena in disguise.

Like Tess had mentionned before, Lena had changed her appearence, nothing drastic of course, but very different from her view. Lena had short chopped black hair with red highlights. An plum short and sleeveless dress along with the same heavy eye-shadow color and very deep red color lipstick on her lips. She hanged herself to her date's arms like she was very drunk, or pretending to be a drunken prostitute. Lena and her date were coming out from the playground from downstairs and made their way to reach themselves to a table. Just two tables from Catherine's left side. Lena looked quite a little too clean to be a dirty escort girl, with too much care, to say. Her cover would blow up to any minute by now. no matter how hard she tried. And that blond haired guy? Such a total loser and far away from Evan's natural and charming style.

Time for action.

Talking with Lena should keep her thoughts away from Vincent and the urge to jump at him-Snap out of it! She shook her head as she poured herself another shot of sake and stood up to walk up to Lena's table, with the sake shot that was being held between her fingers. Balancing her curves like she was doing a top modeling show. Just forget about playing the wifey part, playing the whore was much more fun, even if she doesn't see herself as one.

"Watch my purse for me, please?" she called back to the barmaid as she made her way to the table where a laughing Gretchen and her date were enjoying their time together. Trying to put a frown and disapointing espression on her face.

" _Mio Dios_ , Benjamin, you are too funny to be real!" she heard Lena saying back to her date, with a fake spanish accent. He just shrugged his shoulders, playing innoncent. "What can I do? Babe? I was born this way when it comes to beautiful chicas like you..."

"I believe your wife would find you more funnier, when she'll discover that you've been playing on her back with two girls..."At that sudden reply, both Lena and Benjamin looked up at the owner's voice. Quite a deeper one that only Yalena would recognize.

"And that includes me..."

"Who the hell are you?" Catherine just faked a laugh as she managed to look betrayed waving up her drink at his face. An drunk and betrayed woman, to specify. And it worked so well, cause neither Lena or Benjamin knew whatever the hell was going on now.

"Seriously, Benny? You found better than me? I thought you liked asian girls far better, because we don't age faster than others girls! I'm so deceived by you!" The interest guy in a blue suit stood up to her, as he almost pushed her away. But, she remained on her feet like that move didn't bothered her, at all.

"Look bitch, I do not know you! So back off!"

"And you choose her? She doesn't even look like an new JLO from the block! Everything about her is fake and so are you!"

"Hey, I do not know what the hell you are talking about-"However he didn't had the time to finish when Catherine threw him her sake shot to his face with her right arm, to Lena's shocking face. Ben just stood there at her sight, soaked with sake on his face. Despite the loud music, the people sitting around were also looking up at him, in silence and stunned. The fact that one tough guy like him that got humilated by one woman. He just stared at her shocked as Cat put the empty shot down on the table, just in front of Lena and folded her arms to her chest as she added;

"You better run, before I dial your wife's number.." His eyes widened in shock at that. No she wouldn't dare.

"You wouldn't dare.."

"My phone is in my purse, at the bar over there, just watch me and I'll do it.."As she turned her back to walk up to the bar, he rushed away from her sight like his life was depended on it. Such a coward, can't even stand for himself. She smirked back as she watched him run like a coyote. Dang. Men can be such like little boys were, always running and running.

"Why did you did that for? He was my date and I needed the money!" Lena's voice had brought her back to reality as such the people went back into their doing. She looked back at her, not being impressed at all.

"Well, that's how you greet a old buddy from class? I'm sad to hear that..."

"Who are you? and what are you talking about?.."

"Quit the dump act. It's me, Cat...Don't you remember the girl with the braids, at school? I used to hang out with the bad guys as boyfriends. We used to be lab partners. You and I...And to tell you this, reunion class was a total disaster coming from a very bad cannibal movie, so you didn't missed much, either way.."

"Cat.."Lena may had changed her appearence, but only her pale skin and blue eyes remained the same, according to Catherine. She continued to stare at Catherine as if she was about to be blown up by an old friend.

"Let's chat, cause I believe it's been long enough, since we last saw each other, Gretchen or should I say..Lena...And I don't think your date would come back anytime soon.."

...

"Do you take girls as clients too?" That shook an rushing Gretchen who ended caught by Tess, who was leaning at the door with her arms folded to her chest, wearing a top red deep but shorty dress with a messy but curly haircut that she made on her own. She wasn't as good as Catherine when it comes to find the best dress or hair, but she tried anyways. She watched the girl sitting on the unmade blue bed as she put her stuff in her bag, more like a sport bag to say. Tess could have swore that she have seen a few hundreds bills inside of it..

"I'm sorry, but my last client just left and I have an important appointement with Dr 's gonna have to wait.."had replied Yalena or Gretchen, trying to hide the money with clothes she needed for the next morning. Gretchen looked very different from the last pictures that she shown up to Cat. This Gretchen had a very long blond hair that reached her waist, but could possibly look for a wig. She wore a blue turtleneck sweater with black joggings with sneakers as shoes. Her dark eyes were different as well, they were a light blue. Mostly contacts. But the only problem in here was the color of her skin. The real Yalena had a lighter skin, but Gretchen shared her anscestors's. Just a little a darker, despite the founding make-up to cover up her disguise.

"Oh come on! I have two hundred bucks with me and your boss told me you were the best from all the girls here!"had insisted Tess patting her small purse, like she begged for a free brownie to some waitress to give.

"Sorry, gotta pass, but you can always ask Eve or Alicia-"

"Or maybe Gretchen who's actually your friend Lena?"At that question, the real Gretchen looked back at Tess whose pleading stare got replaced by an frown.

"I believe we can chat for three minutes, before you can reach up for your appointement at the New York's General Hospital. I don't mind paying a hundred bill in order to talk with you.."

...

Vincent couldn't possibly remember the last time he had so much fun with friends around. He walked behind a very laughing J.T along with a blond woman, that could probably be Regan and the dark haired guy, named Miguel, her new boyfriend to their table. Despite the club that had changed into a fancy and partying bar, he managed to recognize the place he used to go with friends and past girlfriend from before. Ahh the nostalgia feelings... Before that, while waiting at the bar, all alone, came an rushing J.T who almost had pushed him aside from the bar, like he just got out from a tornado.. Vincent managed to catch his balance as he put a hand to his chest, hoping to cease the accelerating heartbeat of his as he stared at the guy who sat next to him, completely out of breath. With stunned wide eyes, he let out in one breath.

"Woah! J.T, don't scare me like that! What's gotten into you?" J.T managed to fix his glasses and held an finger in front of Vincent's face.

"One word: Tori. She's never gotta leave us alone, that's for sure! Dang. I don't know how long we gonna keep avoiding her by keeping her at Gabe's place. Soon or later, we'll have to do something urgent about it!"

"And Ed? You're sure if it was a good idea? To let him be there with her? And alone?" J.T looked desparated enough.

"You think I had better choices? I would have had asked Gabe, but since the guy is busy talking with his lawyer, Tori was the latest and least favorite person that I wanted to see and leave a petrified dog with.." Vincent just sighed at this. Soon or later, he's gonna have to face her and do the pep talk to calm her down. Like Catherine used to. Even without the beast in her, Tori would have to accept the changing matter and the fact that there is no future in stores for the both of them.

"I know, but at the moment, it's better if she tries to calm down, or even learn about to calm down on her very own.."

"Anyways, last night, you hanged up quite fast while you were playing incognito at that place.." Okay, that one was out of nowhere as Vincent asked, not knowing where J.T was going with this;

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Big Guy, what did you see last night, at that haunted place? You know when Gabe was holding Cat against her will, before you ended up kidnapped by her father. What did you see? Back there?"Vincent just froze at that thought. Dang, he almost had forgot about that detail. Ever since he got owned by an very vengenful skunk, it slipped his mind. Playing the very amateur detective that he was, he did not excepted to fall into a gory scene that took place in there. It was just horrible to watch and stand there with his phone on. Something very bad and awful had happened back there.

"Can I get you anything, guys?"Thank God! A barmaid came just in time. Much to his delight.

"Two Sapporo beers, please?" He showed up two fingers to the barmaid's sight, as if he avoided J.T's question. "Vincent?"He pushed back at his friend who shook his head, not wanting to say more.

"Not now.."

"When?"

"Tomorrow morning, and besides, I also want to spent one normal night between friends. So the thing with Gabe's late girlfriend can wait to tomorrow morning, let's just try and enjoy the night..." He nodded a few thanks to the barmaid who gave them their beers as Regan and her boyfriend had bursted into the place and walked to them.

"Hey, you two!" Regan had greeted them as both of the two guys stared up and down at her, at shock like they were unsure of whatever their eyes were seeing at the moment. It was so unexcepted, they felt like two complete idiots. She was so hot...

J.T was right about Regan, she did changed from the last time he had seen her. Gone was the most skinny and shy blond haired girl with big glasses and came an very beautitul wavy and long blond haired woman in a short black and strapeless dress and very confident of herself than she used to be years before, always hidding behind Alex or her notebooks whenever it came to meet new people. She smiled as she felt like hugging both J.T and Vincent, but held herself back as she managed to say something like that;

"It's great to see you again, J.T but mostly you, Vincent. Gosh, it's been a longtime.." She looked both at them, before her eyes landed on urge to not cry, was hard, but she held herself back. Well she also got rid of that horrible stuttering. He just blinked at that. Did she just said a line without stuttering?

"Wow, I-I-I mean, yes. It's been long enough, right. It's good to see you again, Regan, you sure did change a lot.." _Not sure if it came out wrong..._

"Thank you.."However, she did changed a lot, but never once in his life, did he had seen her with much founding make-up on her face and skin. It's like she was trying to hide something, from showing. She looked cute with that mascara and pink lipstick.. _Arghhh! Go throw yourself out from a window!_

"Got rid of yor glasses, I see.." The blond haired woman shyly smiled putting a lock of hair behind hair, hoping to not die from blushing.

"Went through laser..."

"Don't try to steal my lady, Keller, you may be a war hero to everybody here, but I won't hold back, if you try.."had jokely warned the dark haired guy, Miguel as he put an strong toned arm around Regan's waist as she bursted laughing at her boyfriend's joke, slapping his hard chest when he smilled brightly as he wasn't ashamed of speaking up his mind.

"Don't worry about that, I'll plan to stay single for a while.." Like he planned to get a new girlfriend, but he just doesn't see that happening so far. "Still, you've been warned, man..And where are my manners? I'm Miguel. Miguel Valdez..."had said Miguel, unable to do an handshake since his left arm was around Regan's waist when the other was holding both theirs coats. Mexican origin, Miguel looked tall and very muscular much like Vincent's height and weight and prefered to wear darker clothes as well like a shirt with long sleeves and pants with the same color. A messy but short deep brown haircut along with brown eyes, a nice trimmed black beard. Despite his own going jokes of 'not touching my girlfriend' he did looked tired like he never slept a single night of his life at all. Most be doing a bodyguard job or a cop job, just to look at his muscular form. However Vincent found nothing harmful about the big guy.

"Okay, well looks like everybody met everybody now. How about we play a fair pool match? Heard that there was a playground downstairs.."had soften up the situation J.T, picking up the two beers as they all went downstairs to play pool...

When they came back up, he felt like someone was staring at him back, but managed to keep straight up as he followed J.T with Regan and Miguel to their table as J.T started with this;

"So, where you've been Regs?" He said back sitting with Vincent at his left side when the couple were facing them. Despite the loud music on the air, Regan just let out a light chuckle, going all shy like she used to.

"There and there. Been back here, since two weeks and had met this guy right here.."she explained shortly back as she gave a small pat on Miguel's shoulder, with a tease.

"And I've meet her too, as well.." He added as he looked back her with a lovely smile.

"And Jeff? Where the hell is that drag queen?"

"Drag queen? There are two drag queens that I know here. It's you, Forbes and Ash.."had added the voice behind them. The professor dropped his jaw in shock at that when Vincent tried to not whistle at that reply.

"I'm not a drag queen!"

"Not me, either!"had replied the other voice who came out from Jeffrey. A man with a blue shirt with sleeves rolled up to his forearms, his black winter coat hanging on his left arm, a messy black hairtcut with a beard that needed to be taken care of. That smog expression on his face as he was staring at them now. J.T and Vincent just stared at him, stunned to see that person..Both of them stood up to stare at the two guys right before them. Jeffrey didn't changed that much, he may got himself a new haircut getting rid of that awful tendrils locks haircut thing that kept falling on his face. Thank God! And Piggy or Fatsto Boy Ash, that was his nickname back at med school, turned out to be Ash, the meerkat now. Since he managed to deflate just big enough..

"No, kidding! Ash, you look like a meerkat now.."

"Oh crap! You don't look like a pig anymore!" Ash just made a face at that line, putting his hands on both of his sides, ready to to explode, but couldn't help himself as the urge of the smirk on his face appeared;

"Who said I was looking like a pig? It's good to see you again, Vince!" The only one thing that hadn't changed about Ash, is that he was always happy to greet a lost friend, that he hadn't seen in years. Vincent took his handshake and give him a bear hug. "It's good to see you too, man.."He added as they pulled appart as Ash hugged J.T as well. "Dude, you sure did deflated like alot!"

"Like a balloon, I know..So where you guys been?" had asked Ash sitting between Miguel and Vincent when Jeffrey volunteered to go fetch them some interesting round. "Like Regan just said earlier; There and there. Been there back and forth.."J.T had shrugged back, not wanting to say more.

"What about you, Big Guy? How did you managed to survive the heat and war, to come up back here, like alive?"

"I guess it's luck, I believe.."Vincent just took the cap off of his beer and took a sip with a wince. Nope he did not like the taste of japanese beer. He can also tell from the past as well, if he could ever remember it. "However, I don't remember much later on. All I know is that I woke up at the hospital after getting shot from protecting that Windsor girl and the rest I believe you know from the news.."He managed to keep the story short and fair, without adding too much details.

"So the amnesia thing is real?"

"You just heard the guy, Regs, he's recovering from memory loss. Blood loss, probably...Don't wanna to push him, if I were you.." The blond haired woman just narrowed her eyebrows in annoyance, before letting this out;

"Relax, fatso-boy, I was just asking. It may take forever to remember, Vincent. Why not consult a hypnosis therapist? It might help you to recover your memories.." He just frowned at her. Like it could possibly do any good to have his mind being tested or controled again. His best friend next to him, just defended his bride by adding this;

"And what? Make him do a chicken act?" Everybody just laughed at this remark. J.T had just saved the day or the rest of the night so. Just when Vincent thought he'd feel relaxed even if it was for a moment, he heard Jeffrey coming back to their table as he drop out;

"Well, if I didn't had an weird cabaret held by my hands by now, I've would've had jumped in bed with those two chicks back behind us.."He put the liquor on the table as he passed the shots to everyone. Anyways, if there was a thing that Jeffrey refused to change was having nightstands with ramdom girls. Both J.T and Vincent winced in disgust at that thought.

"You'll never settle down, do you? Always gonna just jump on the first girl you just saw.." had said J.T when Jeffrey brought a stool seat as he sat between J.T and Regan and pointed the two tables behind J.T and Vincent's back. "Well, I wouldn't go for the one with the purple dress, but I'll certainly go for the one with the blue dress and _cat_ eyes. She's a smokin' hottie over there..." Vincent froze at that sentence, it was clear enough for him on why he felt like he was being watched when he walking to his table. Not because someone was watching him from a far, but that a _certain cat_ was watching him from away and from her seat. As everyone poured some Moutai Yingbin to themselves, he looked from his shoulder as he managed to catch up from the two tables from his sight. He could had swore that his heart skipped a beat when he glanced up at her.

Catherine.

There she was as beautiful as he could remember from the last time he seen her. Dressed in this blue dress with her hair as curly as she could look much more like a actress from thirties or sixties. Or more like the first time when both of them had shared their first kiss on her rooftop. Looking so much in love. He remembered the taste of her lips on his, her tongue tied with his and her hazel eyes glancing up at his own with so much love and passion with desire. He couldn't believe how much of a lucky guy he was, ever since that night after she confessed her heart out to him.. Vincent just closed his eyes and let the whitening flashes of memories coming through his mind.

 _"I love you...I don't need walls or doors.."_

 _"I'm so in love with you..." And he ended up kissing her back, with such relief and hope that she feeding him with her love so beautiful. She was ready to give up everything to be with him, from that moment._ Vincent opened his eyes back and continued to stare at Catherine, ignoring Jeffrey's calls.

"Hey, Bug Guy wanna to get drunk?"

"Shut up, Jeff!"

"I wasn't talking to you! Fatso-boy! I was talking to Bug Guy over here, who's all on dreamland now...Talking about that girl with the _cat_ eyes over there, do you think she's available? Or that she has a sister?"

"It's actually, Big Guy, not some giant bug.."had clearified J.T annoyed by that. Despite hearing his friends biggering about all and everything, Vincent couldn't get his eyes away from Catherine who was talking with the girl with the purple dress that Jeffrey had briefly mentionned. And from what he could manage to see from their table, he saw that they were in deep and intense conversation. He didn't needed to hear whatever they were saying, just to watch them talk was quite good. Just to glance at her moving lips.

"Vince.."had tried to say J.T hoping to get his attention, until he realized why. He followed his glance to whatever Vincent was staring at awe and gulped. _I don't think it's ever gonna stop with Cat..._

...

"I don't know what Patrick did told you about me and my troubles Catherine, but it only concerns me and nobody else.."had said Lena, scratching the back of her head as Catherine went sat across from her, with taking her coat and her purse along with the drinking bevurage with the bretzels as well.

"Patrick came to me that day and only on his very own will, Lena. He's very worried about you.." The interest just rolled her eyes grabbing the liquor bottle and poured herself a shot and drank it.

"I don't think he should, I'm handling it just fine.."

"Just fine? You could go to prison! Wake up, Lena! This could go very bad.."

"Very bad? I told you, I got this under control. I can handle it.."

"How about Gretchen? You think I didn't noticed the changes? The switching names so you could have a better view at your soon ex-husband? Did you started to stalk him ever since this day?"

"Óliver wouldn't never notice, even if I ever had a face removed, Cat..Like it ever mattered.."

"What if he does? Lena? You are his wife, in papers legaly I believe. Not to mention you've spent a few years with him.."

"Like you think about getting an divorce would have been easy.." And as she was about to take another drink, Catherine grabbed her wrist from doing it. Lena kept her eyes on the move as she avoided Catherine's. This was not a game that she could lead and end on her own.

"Ever thought of getting out of it, alive? Would have been easy?" It was a point, Lena may not get out of it. Just to look at it, Lena may never get her happily ever after, so unlike Shirley Maclaine's character in _Sweet Charity._ Or even to see her daughter ever again.

"I was very naive back then, Cat. After I moved to my uncle's place, he helped me to go back at school and got a job, waitressing at his diner as I managed to pay him back, even if he refused my offer stating that I was living in his roof and treated me like a daughter. However, two years after graduation, I kept working at my uncle's diner until I meet _him.._ " Cat pulled her hand away from Lena and stared at her.

"Óliver Álvarez.." Lena just looked up, her eyes were fierce with anger and regret at whenever she heard that name. Like she wanted to spit at it.

"He rescued me from a psycho client when my uncle didn't paid attention. So ever since that day we decided to see each other and more often. It was, I believe. Love at first sight. It happened to me, to a poor girl like me and out of nowhere. He seemed to look nice, sweet and also patient, whenever we talked about stepping to the next step. Got hitched very quickly. Had my first time, Cat..Something I shouldn't have had let him touch to just take it away.."

"After I had Ángela, I started to notice that he wasn't looking at me the same way like he used to. I thought it was because of the pregnancy and decided to do some fitness, in order to restore my once before image back. I had lost the baby weight and I was quite proud of myself because of the hard work I had put my body and mind into. What I did not noticed, it was that he played behind my back..." Still a bit drunk, Catherine tried to manage to look concentrated as she kept listening to Lena's story who poured another shot of sake and took a bretzel from the bowl. "I wasn't excepting this to happen so soon and since I haven't worked even since I got married, I decided to listen to his conversations and most of them were private, if you know I know what I mean, Cat.."

"Did you confront him, about them?"

"His many mistresses, you mean? There's so many that I lost all count on them together, it didn't mattered to me. I just wanted him to tell me the whole truth,Cat. I may had been very naive but not that stupid. When I demanded answers of why he always came back so late at home, he just bluff it out saying it was work that kep him late, but I knew better. When I suspected him to cheat, I ended calling one of his workers at the hospital to know if I could bring him something to eat while he was at break and spend time together, they said something like he was out and went to a italian restaurant with one of his whores and you wouldn't believe your eyes if I told you with whom he went with.."

"With whom? Gretchen?"

"Way worse than you think, Cat. Lina. He used to go out and to have a blast with her, before she ended up with a life sentence like HIV..." Cat redressed her back up at that name, blinking like she couldn't catch it the meaning of this. Álvarez had an affair with Lina? Did Lena and Lina have ever meet each other, before?

"I told him about the fact he was cheating on me and the fact, he was leaving Ángela alone and despite the toys he had brought to please her, or the promises he kept breaking, I did not wanted to be tolerated to be treated like a idiot...I told him that I was his wife. His wife! That I needed to be treated with respect and that I didn t wanted to keep going on like this, living in a lie! That's when I had been slapped by him at the face, for the first time Cat..Óliver did this! He told me that as long I was living with him, he was the one making the money and the rules. That I have to obey to him like a slave. I married a monster! Cat! I married a monster! I ended up being manipulated by one like him!" That was enough for Cat's ears as she stopped Lena from adding anything more than that.

"The only thing that I don't understand is why you did not pressed charges against Álvarez, if you thought he could do any harm to you or to your daughter.." Now Lena was desparate enough to let out a chocking sob out from her throat.

"You think it was that easy, Catherine? I had thought of it so many times already..However he would have got out of it. With power bailing him out whenever he wanted, he could go away with it. No matter what."

"That doesn't mean you have to give up on everything you cherish about, Lena. I've seen rich people like him going becoming criminals or even going to prison when they were found guilty.."

"And what did the law had to say about naive and stupid girls falling for creeps like them? A man like him? They're being judged them as stupid and falling girls who get what they deserve, Cat. That includes me. It was a mistake. And it was hard with Ángela around. After following my cousin's advice at whatever I wanted to endure the pain with him or I could take my daughter and run as far away as I could..I decided to take the second option, Cat, because I refused to be treated like an abusive wife, when others would blindly and gladly take the blade, because they are afraid of leaving their men. Unlike me who took action. I've been married with him for a longtime, however I managed to take the run, since five years.."

"You've been on the run for five years, by now, Lena and I still believe you're making the wrong decision by doing this and putting yourself into useless danger. The law here is very different from Chicago, Lena, once you got caught, there's no point of return. Let me help you. Let the cops and the law help you.."

"I don't think that your stupid law can help me from running away from Óliver, Cat.."

"You haven't done anything wrong yet. But think about your daughter-"She got cut when a loud slapping sound was heard on the table that made her jump in shock. Lena was having none of it and she wanted to make herself clear about it as she yelled as if her heart wanted to burst into tears and demanded to be heard.

"Leave my daughter alone! Like you know anything about having kids on your own Catherine, which you don't, at all! What would you do if your kid was the one who was being abused by your husband? You'd just stand there and do nothing?" Silent at this. Cat just sat there not knowing if Lena wanted to know the answer or not. She tried to save Vincent from hurting himself and he ended hating her. She felt like she failed them. The couple they used to be from before. "I felt like this, when Oliver laid a hand across my face and the fact that Angela was there watching it, completely confused on why her daddy was beating up her mommy? When they were supposed to love each other? How do you explain that? And, the next day. I decided to leave with Angela along with two sleeping bags and a few bills. I took off without even thinking of it twice.."

"Lena.."

"Catherine, let me ask you a question and please answer me, fairly and honestly.." The brunette looked up at the girl in disguise, who looked very desparate and was about to do or say something drastic. "What would you do if the man you love, whom you thought you knew, starts and keeps hurting you again and again and no matter how hard you kept trying to save him, physically and mentally...Keeps on beating you up until you can't no longer breathe? You would still think that there's a way out?" Lena held her eyes to hers waiting for an answer, however Catherine just sat in her seat saying nothing at all but to look up at her hoping that Lena wouldn't do any stupid that could drive her into hell. She wanted revenge on Álvarez, but the way she was handling the things were just wrong. Like kidnapping Ángela from her daddy was wrong and she could face charges from Álvarez and Child Services if they ever heard that she ran with their kid. Might make her look like a delusional mother with suicidal thoughts. There was no way people were gonna take her seriously.

When Lena heard nothing from her, she just shook her head like she lost a fight against cancer or more like she was disappointed from Catherine herself. She let out a light chuckle that sounded like she was on her own when nobody wanted to help her. She stood up grabbing her coat and purse as she was preparing to leave.

"I'm not surprised with your silence, Cat. I just thought that you were thinking differently from the other people that I've meet. I guess I was wrong.."

"Lena.."

"You know, back at school you used to be friendly and brave enough to speak your mind, whatever situation you faced anyways. Never I've seen you afraid before like you managed to always put a brave face. I admired you for that. A good model, you know. But from what I see now, is just the Cat I always to feared to see. The person who looks down at you like they were expected something better from them.."And before leaving a tip on the table, she added this; "Your mother's death destroyed the nice person you were and left you paralyzed since you refused to let people in.." Letting Lena to tell her that she was deceived by her didn't shook her, but mentionning her mother's death was something. Catherine stood up and circled the table so that she could face the girl. "You became cold, Cat. Your heart became like ice..." Anger was burning inside of her. Usually, Catherine managed to stay calm at these situations like these, but this time, it was just enough.

"Be careful, Lena. You wouldn't want me to say anything bad about yours, so you better not say anything bad about my mom or else I may even be more tougher than most cops all together.." Lena just laughed at that threatening remark as she put on her coat.

"Or else what? You gonna beat me up or sent me to prison?" Trying to keep herself poised from the storm, Catherine managed to warn her for a last time.

"For the last time, Lena don't you do anything stupid or else I may not be able to help you from it.." Anyways, Lena didn't wanted to repeat herself again as she added before leaving the bar.

"Doesn't matter Cat. I got used to it. People who can't help you, because the way you're handling things is against the law and I may go to hell for it. But it doesn't matter anymore Cat. What would come would come and I'm not afraid of it. As long my daughter is safe and far away from Oliver, I'll be happy. And it's something you'll never understand Catherine. Sacrificing your life for sparing an another. The one you've been trying to save and love until your very last end.." Lena made her final decision. She left the brunette in the blue dress without waiting for her to call her back, feeling completely worthless because she was right in one point. Lena would be ready for whatever price would come in order to save her daughter, when Catherine failed to save the man of her life's dignity. She knew that Lena was right and that she failed Vincent and their relationship. She did sacrificed everything for him to be saved and look what happened to the income?

Catherine sat back down as she stared at Lena's empty seat, completely out of space when she didn't suspected that someone had come to her table...

"I believe, it didn't went well with your date?" That husky and familiar voice had almost spooked her out from her reverie. She turned her head around to see the owner's voice who was standing behind her with his hands in pockets. His soft but hazel eyes were staring at her with sympathy..

"Vincent.."

...

"I hate you, Jeff!"

"Aargh!"

"That thing is disgusting!"

"Taste like a cow's farting!"

"Get it away from me!"

"Shut up!"

When everybody at his table were accusing Jeffrey or more like whining to him, after they all drank a Moutai Yingbin shot, Vincent was watching Catherine talking to the girl, like she was trying to help her out to change whatever descision that short black haired girl had made. But when both of girls were getting intense, he quite knew that meeting wasn't going to end in good terms. However, despite the loud music, he managed to hear something like a threat coming out from that girl.

And Cat looked like she wanted to punch her at her face.

Before that girl left, she made Catherine remind that whatever had happened that night when her mother ended dead had left her destroyed and paralyzed. It was true it did left her destroyed but she managed to put a brave smile on her face and pushing the pain aside as she cared about other people's feelings and problems. Like his personal problems. Ignoring J.T's protests, he stood up and walked to Catherine's table where she sat alone now that her friend vanished out from the place leaving a good tip on the table. He was never good with words, but he managed to say a few words, as he stood behind her back. "I believe, it didn't went well with your date?" At these words, Catherine turned her head up at him with surprising eyes at him like she wasn't expecting him to come.

"Vincent.."

"You don't mind having a friend joining your table, I mean.." He said back as nodded the empty seat, across from her. But when she said nothing to his question, he brought the stool and sat but just a few or five centimenters from he wanted to respect her space, without pushing it too much though. When Catherine was trying to look away, he stared at her for a moment. She lost a few pounds and looked tired from the dark circles under her eyes despite founding make-up. She must have spent her time at work, quite too much. And knowing Catherine, she was quite the workaholic type or more like she was trying to keep her mind away bad things. Bad things like him. But she remained the same and most beautiful and brave woman that he knows. He could hear her heart almost wanting to snap out of its ribcage so badly, maybe because he was sitting close enough to her left side. Vincent snapped his eyes away from her and grabbed the half full pink bottle as he faked to read the paper on it. It was akward. The two of them were quiet, until he let out this;

"Were you trying to convince her, or something like that?"

"Sort of it. I guess, I cannot always rescue everyone, though.."He looked back at her, dropping the bottle on the table. "Why, you say that?"

"Never works. I guess you know why.."

"Mind telling me how you didn't succeed?" With a shrug, she just poured another sake shot and added back as she stared at the drink held by her two fingers, knowing that Vincent was looking up at her move.

"I don't know. I guess it's the nerve of wanting to save someone who just doesn't want or doesn't believe need to be saved. Not that I expect anything in return and look what it got me into?" He winced at that sight, when she took the drink and swallow it, a little faster though. Making a grimace as for a result of the rushing drink. "A couple of messes.." had cleared Catherine back as he also agreed back. He knew where she was getting at. Covering up for him, saving him or his ass from getting exposed, cleaning up his messes. She did a lot for him, even after their break-up and what did he do, to thank her? Blaming her for shooting him, believing she ended up chosing her father's side, even if she only had done it for a choice of right or wrong. He used all most of his anger and had directly pointed all the faults on her side. It's not like she had the choice to shoot him, but he only was blinded by anger towards her father for nearly destroying his life and Tori by his side, didn't helped at all.

"You know, that whatever happened between us is not entirely your fault. I messed up as well, Catherine.." She turned her eyes back to him despite her cheeks getting into a lightening red, because of the amount of alchool running into her system. "About us falling appart, you mean?" Dang, she looked cute with that blushing thing on her cheeks, he wasn't so sure if he could ever remember a moment when he and she ever had a similar drink night, before he ended captured.

"I mean, Catherine, when you found out wherever I was held, I was totally different very far different than you excepted me to have become and I couldn't remember a thing at all. And even when I started to get better, earning my humanity back, I was still different.."

"That didn't mattered. Things were getting better, between us, I felt it. Vincent.."He just shook his head, adding this;

"Yeah, I know that. But still, it wasn't the same as before. Things changed between us. Me, becoming more violent every single day and you, sacrificing your life.."But still, she wasn't convinced.

"Which I was ready and to willing to give up.."He shot her warning look, as he cut her at that line. She blinked twice when his tone had changed when he said this;

"Which I am forbidding you to do it and don't you even dare thinking about giving up everything for me. Catherine. Don't waste your life for me.." That stopped her tracks in a jump. She sighed as she turned her eyes away from him, making a firm line with her lips, trying to calm down. When he thought that things would get better between them, Vincent had managed to drop it all fantasies down. It was out of from nowhere, of course, but still fresh in his mind and the thought of Catherine getting hurt because of him just loathed him.

However, Catherine knew they ended up broken appart from each other and even if they tried to form a frienship relationship, she had some light of hope that soon or later they'll end up discussing about their future together, if they could ever have a future. However after hearing his answer, she felt her hopes were just crashed down. Too much to be true. Nothing could change the past, what's done is done now. She snorted at that answer. She wanted to tell him to go away with his so importants tellings about on whatever things she should decide to deal with whatever things she wanted to deal with. That's one thing she agreed with Lena. She won't be manipulated or controlled, by no one else than herself first.

"Yeah, you're right in one point. We both have changed and I haven't noticied that.." As Vincent was about to answer, her phone vibrated breaking the tension between the two of them. Getting through her purse, she added again; "Turns out I didn't notice it and I ended hurting you, Vincent, by trying to be fair for both us.."

"Catherine.."

"I think it's a curse that whomever falls for me or for you just ends in badly terms, anyways. Let's just stay friends. I believe it's more safe for the two of us.."And besides, she wasn't here just to do the formal talk with him. He is free to do whatever he wants and that means without her around. Snatching her phone out from her purse, she checked her emails and frowned when she read them. Must be from Tess had thought Vincent.

"I guess I have nothing else to do than to arrest Lena.."

"From what?" He had no idea who was this Lena girl, must be that girl who had just walked away from Catherine's table.

"From killing her soon ex-husband, in order to keep him away from finding their daughter or hers, for short story.." She sat up, feeling a little clutz from the drinking as she managed or tried to wear her coat by passing her shoulders, through it with difficultly gestures. "Do you need help?" Vincent wasn't so sure if she could make it walking outside of the bar, without falling down. She waved him off with a hand as she almost fell back down.

"Nope, I'm good..Oops.."

"Come on, I'll help you.." Forgetting that little and akward chat they just had earlier, he stood up and went behind her back as he catched her from falling or even stepping on his feet. He helped her to pass her arms inside of her coat. Gosh, she was so close and he hoped that she hadn't noticied that stupid skunk scent that he tried to hide with cologne and Old Spice deodorant. Oh boy, he felt like having a fever just to smell her scent, so close to him.

"I'm ok, really Vincent, I can handle it.."

"I'll see that happen, if you don't fall over someone or throwing up your vomit to someone's shirt.." She laughed back as he helped her to wear her coat. With a a forced but happy smile, she turned back to him and did the soldier salute to him.

"No vomit would be done, sir!" He just shook his head. "You sure don't need a ride over home?"

"I'll call a cab, like I told you, I'll be fine.." She shook her head, telling that she can take care of herself with this.

"Catherine, about earlier.." It was now, her turn to cut him from finishing his line. Trying to comfort him or like more herself so.

"Never mind. We've both have changed and we both know we can't go back from it. Like I said I cannot save everyone. Vincent, we'll have to deal with it and I believe it's better that we stay friends for a while.." Guess, she hadn't forgot about the early little chat they had.

"Okay, so..I'll see you around?" Dang, what kind of answer was that? She grabbed her purse, left some money for the expensive sake on the table and waved him off. "Sure, I'll see you around as well.." And both of them turned their backs from each other. But as he was about to move back to his table, Vincent returned back and called..

"Catherine, wait!"

"Yeah?" She turned back to him a little alerted by his rushing calling. Gosh, these uncallings things has to stop, it's not healthy for the heart. He could hear that heartbeat of hers, beating out in alert very much as she looked like.

"I..I..Uh...I missed you..Seeing you..I mean.." He blurted out. Way to go! Keller, do you also need a couple red and bricks falling down on your head? He could tell that she was a little upset as she was waiting for something more coming out from him. "Oh.." Oh? That's all she gets to say back? He could go and do the walking of shame thing now, until...

"Well, you know what? Vincent?" He waited as she let out, something he wasn't excpected to hear. "I missed seeing you too..." With a nice and sincere smile, Catherine left the building from where came just watched her walking away, like a idiot. But with much relief and sadness as well as he was glad that she didn't hated him as much he thought. At the end, he won't have to do the walking shame thing after all. Hands in his pockets, he turned back to his table, sitting at the same spot he left and grabbed the drinking bottle with some an unexpresive expression, not paying everyone's attention. Everyone at his table was watching him pouring a shot of the awful drinking bottle, all of them were stunned at his move. Ash was the first to break the silence;

"Hey, J.T, do you think she just rejected him?"

"Do I even know?"

"So, Bug Guy, does she has a sister? I mean that was the reason of why you went up to her, no?"

"Vincent, I don't think you should drink that..."Regan looked a little worried as she stared at him taking the small sized shot full of Moutai Yingbin to his lips.

"Yeah, Jeff just wasted three hundred bucks for an awful drinking bottle-" SPLASH! At that, Vincent didn't hesitated but to spit all the drink at Ash's face, even before he could manage to finish up his line. Everybody stayed silent, too shocked to say or even do something. The only thing they could hear was Vincent coughing as he managed to clear his throat giving a few punches to his chest like he needed air. "You wasted three hundred bucks, for that crap?" He said back in one helpless breath, slaming the shot back down.

"Wanna try something new? Bug Guy?" With both strong purple sleeves arms folded to his chest, Jeffrey managed to look proud of his choices. Ash was wipping off the drink from his eyes with his two fingers as he looked up at Jeffrey, angrily. J.T. offered him a kleenex tissue from his pocket, helping him to clean up while Vincent almost but groaned at this so innoncent question by Jeffrey;

"Hell Nooo!"

"Well, there's a few things that haven't changed at all.."had murmured an annoyed Regan as she looked back to Miguel, who just shrugged his shoulders, but nodded as he agreeded with her in this. Boys would be boys.

...

"About time, you ended up calling! My butt was starting to freeze up, in any time by now.." Tess was waiting for a cab, outside of the club. And she was in a very bad mood and the weather was no good either. Talking with Gretchen was no big use at all. It was true that she and Lena switched identities and promised her to have her back covered, but she wasn't so sure for how long, though. One arm was trying to keep her warm while the other was holding the phone close to her ear and even with an expensive brown coat on her back, a gift from ex-boyfriend, didn't helped the situation.

 _"Got anything on your side? With Gretchen?"_ She could hear from the phone that Cat was walking out on the street, from the sounds of high heels.

"No, I don't believe so. At first, she just waved me off, but when I called her by her real name, this is where she ended up spooked.."

 _"And?"_

"Still, not much. True. Gretchen did admitted about the switching names and the thing about Álvarez? She did said that he was always busy at the hospital that she and Lena had barely seen him around the club.." Tess sighed at that answer, feeling defeated by going nowhere with the case. She raised her head as she kept trying to look up for a cab.

 _"So, Lena had been around at the club, for nothing? Tess, you're got to be wrong. Lena swore that she was seeing him from a far.."_

"I wished that I was wrong, Cat. But I'm not, other than this I didn't get enough from her. The only thing that caught me out of guard was the hundred bucks that she was trying to hide into a sport bag.."That caught her partner's attention. Gretchen was hidding money for what kind of reason and why?

 _"Hundred of bucks stuffed into a sport bag? Who is getting that money? Her surgeon?"_

"A certain Dr. Rodriguez, I guess.." Tess wasn't sure about if the surgeon had accepted the money from the beggining cause most of doctors refused to be paid like that. They wanted to be paid on the right way. What if it was black money and who was getting it? And why the appointement was made at the last minute, like at the middle of the night?

 _"Did you asked her about anything more?"_

"Cat, even with a warrant, I couldn't. I mean if she doesn't know more than she's already knows.."

 _"Damn.."_

"What about you? Did you find anything?" She listened to Catherine's explaination;

 _"From what Patrick told me, it was true, I mean about the beating part and the running away thing as well. And I still believe that Lena is making a big mistake about tracking Álvarez down. But I did found something else that slipped through my mind.."_

"About?"

 _"Have you seen Lina? When you went into the bar? Was she around?"_

"Not that I know. What about the sick and ex-escort girl? What does she has to do with the case?" She didn't paid any attention to the frail woman who was talking with Cat, at the bar. In fact, she hadn't seen her for the entire night. So no sight of Lina. What does that mean? Good or bad?

 _"Lena had said that Alvarez and Lina were having an affair during their mariage. She has something do to with all this..I remember her saying that she didn't not know much of Alvarez. She only knows him as the guy who handles the financial things for the bar and the fact, that she knew that he was once married...So, them having an affair.."_

"So you believe that she has to do something, I mean with Álvarez? Like she could cover for him?" It was Tess's turn to sound confused. At the beggining, she thought the case was just a passade for Catherine to escape from her personal feelings with Vincent, but it was starting to freak her out as the more the two of them were getting into the mess, the bad it was going to end for both of them.

 _"Like you told me to follow my guts, I believe she has to do something with they ever had reconnected or not. Lina's absence might explain something behind it and I believe she knows more than I excepted.."_

"So, what do you have in mind, Cat?" She snapped her fingers at the air and waved, when a yellow cab was finally coming into her way.

 _"It's too late to search Lina and Gretchen might be in surgery as we speak so we can't reach them for the moment being, but I can tell you that Lina is a suspect, now that we both know that she shares a past with Álvarez. And with Lena knowing all this, I'm afraid that she might do something drastic.."_

"Cat, can you be more specific? What worse can happen with Lena?"On the phone, she could hear Catherine taking a deep breath first, before she add this;

 _"I guess, we'll have no choice but to arrest her, I'm afraid so.."_

...

 **God, things are bad for Lena as she is about to explode and it's tearing Catherine appart, cause she knows she can't allow this to happen or else she'll have to arrest her. What do you think about VinCat's reunion, so far? I hope I did justice! I had fun writing this chapter, especially with Catherine's thinking of ripping Vincent's clothes into pieces and Vincent remembering their first kiss, not to mention that stupid move he made later. So we know a few things about Lena but I don't think it's over for her. There's more to tell and mostly about Regan as well. And VinCat moments to come as well.**

 **Thank you for your support beasties! You're the best guys! xpetti 4Bemer, Msolsun and all the others that are still following this story. I was having a hard time lately. I guess, winter time is not such a good time for everyone here...That includes myself..**

 **Send me a review with full of love! See ya!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks again, Beasties!**

 **...**

 _"What do you know about a man named Oliver Alvarez?"_

 _"Not much.."_

 _"What about your friend Lena? Did you know that she was tracking him?"_

 _"From what I know, maybe..I just never saw him around.."_

 _"So, you mean that you and Lena never saw him at the club, like at all?"_

 _"Look, from what I know is that I just made a deal with Lena about the switching part things! Just to help her out into whatever she's doing as long she keeps me away from her stupid mess. However I had never seen a guy like your Alvarez guy..You said he was a doctor, so that explains his lacking of showing up his ass over here, so.."_

 _"So, let me get this straight and I hope I don't mess it up here; You made a deal with another girl? The switching thing?"_

 _"Yes.."_

 _"Like carrying your name, while you carry hers?"_

 _"She said, it was because she needed protection away from her husband and when she'll bust him for good, she'll pay me fifty bucks for carrying her name.."_

 _"While you being Lena and her, being you?"_

 _"Quite that..Can I go now?"_

 _"One last question here. Are you sure, that you've never had seen Alvarez around the club here? And I mean, alone here?"_

 _"Is this an interrogation? Am I a suspect here?"_

 _"Could be one, if I ever find you lying to my face. I don't have a warrant here, but I can get one if I found answers from your ' so- called' friends here. Like the reason of why, you stuffed a few hundred bills into your bag, for an example. Care to share?"_

 _"Like I said, I have never seen a man named Oliver Alvarez here. Heard the guy handles the money here, but never saw him around. That's all I know. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go to my appointement, or else you'll have to hear from my lawyer.."_

 _..._

Gretchen made it clear to the girl with red dress as she walked away. Ok, she didn't have a lawyer, but she could always get one if Esperanza could help her out, just a little help from the nice old lady, wouldn't hurt no? After she had a full and check up with a nurse, she was asked to go the surgery room, so she could be put on prepping on.

Who was that lady with the red dress? And from her sounding tone voice, it looked like she was a cop and a damn good one when she had left Gretchen her yellow card with her name on it.

She slowly lied down on the gurney, with nothing but a blue platstic hat that was covering her short and black haircut and was wearing an hospital blue gown that would soon be taken off. Her hernia fell out a few weeks ago and if it wasn't being treated by now, it could possibly lead into complications. However her prayers had been answered when the receptionist had told her that a surgeon named Dr. David Rodriguez was on schedule for the night shift and had gladly accepted the money she offered to him. Even if it looked out of nowhere. Maybe the guy needed the money for something else and paid in cash, that was against hospital rules. Her insurance card was about to exprire soon and she needed the surgery to be done quickly..

While two nurses were checking her charts and connecting her to a beeping heart machine, the anesthesiologist came into the place and Gretchen could tell that the person who was going to put her alsleep was a asian woman and despite her blue scrubs, hat and mask, she reminded her of someone she knew. But the only one thing she found odd about this person was the color of her eyes.

They were blue. Just as Lena's color. The anesthesiologist went behind her lying position and looked down on her face. Gretchen tried not to look a little nervous when she heard her spoke this;

"Well hello there, I'm Dr. Jenna Choi, I'm gonna make you feel comfortable here. And so are my friends here. So, you don't have to worry, we'll take great care of you, darling..." What a strange but familiar accent, Gretchen was sure she recognized that voice, but from where?

"Dr. Rodriguez is getting ready to the other room, by now, so why don't you just try and relax? You're in good hands here, darling. Everything's gonna be fine.."With an approving nod, one of the nurses appeared to her side and took off the plastic nightrobe from Gretchen, as they went to put an red liquid on her belly and covered to the rest of her private body parts with a blue sheet. Dr Choi went back to her doing, prepparing the equipement for the anesthesia procedure. Leaving Gretchen with her thoughts that turned to be questions, alone. She wasn't afraid of her naked body being exposed to unknown strangers, but she could feel that something was wrong. Is Lena assisting her in the surgery, or did she said something she shouldn't had? They both swore to secrecy, that none of their covers would be blown.

 _"You have to promise that none of covers would be blown, Gretchen. I want my daughter to be far away from him and his troubles, for good. Even if it means that he must have me dead, for it..."_

 _"Doing everything for your daughter, in order to keep her safe? You know what kind of danger you're going into, no?"_

 _"I know..So can I have your word, Gretchen?"_

 _"As long, you ending paying me a few hundred dollars, your word is okay.."_

 _"Everything for you is money? Gretchen?" She snickered at her word. Gretchen just shrugged adding this;_

 _"Well a girl's got to live for a living, no?"_

 _"Yeah, she does, even if it means by sacrificing everything she cherish.."_ The light that was exposing her belly, covering with red liquid was so bright that had almost blinded her eyes. Brown eyes. That were about to become sensitive to the drugs. She took out the contacts for the surgery. What if someone had recognized her on table?

 _'Lena..Did I ever wronged you?'_

Dr Choi was ready this time as she connected a black mask to a big balloon of breath and smiled as she went look down on her patient. An oxygen mask to help her breath until she ended into a comatose prison state.

"Take a nice and long deep breath..." She put the black haunting mask on Gretchen's nose and mouth and kept her gloved hand on the mask and chin as an nurse from her right side, lifted Gretchen's right arm and injected an cold massive but less strong propofol from a syringe into her skin. General anesthiesia. Smelling the haunting and distracting sleeping smell, Gretchen breathed slowly in good rythym.

"It's all gonna be alright, just breath slowly and count from 100..." Her eyes tried to stay focused to the brighting light as Gretchen tried to stay awake, desparately. She could hear her heartbeat going rushing just a little faster at the machine as the breathing machine was following her moving breathing air. Her middle part was going up and down.

'... _97..96..95..94_...' Dr Choi looked behind her and noticed the heart system going just a little faster than usual..The patient was anxious as she was chocking for air, eyes moving from left to right in fear. "Just relax, darling. It's all gonna be okay.." Dr. Choi had lifted up her free hand to caress her cheek, trying to calm her down. After a few seconds, Gretchen's breathings sounds echoed into the room as she kept breathing, but in a relaxing state now. Tension left her shoulders as she let herself relax, following 's calming words. She focused back to the light as an powerful and fastening strong sensation went to her spine. The drug was rushing into her system and faster. Her eyelids were starting to get heavier much more heavier than she ever felt. The lighting was starting to blur her sight. Everything was spinning around. She was slowly going to leave her body. She had no control over it. Her awakening state was finally giving away as her eyes weren't hurting anymore. Her soul was backing away letting herself falling into dreamland or more into an endless artificial coma and vegetable state. Letting her life to the doctors's hands now. She felt so exhausted and tired, so suddenly. Gretchen had given up on resistance as the propofol drug was making its way into her body. Colors were turning into black as she vanished and shut down everything living away from this world.

'89..87...85.. _Lenaaaa..'_ She thought of her friend as she was running out of energy. Energy that had given up her body to the propofol and powerful drug. Her eyeballs rolled up, unmoving as her eyelids could barely shut down on their own as her system failed to any touch, like she was gone. Seeing nothing and unbudged to any movement. Gretchen ended up fading now into an motionless deeping, paralyzing and unresponding sleeping state. Silence had entered into the room, despite the heart beating and breathing monitor left behind. Looking down, Dr. Choi just smiled as she felt Gretchen's head falling to left side as strength had finally given away, this time. Without any force.

 _'I'm sorry Lena..'_

"That's a good girl.." She replaced the patient back, raising Gretchen's head, with her gloved hand still locked on the mask and chin up as she pressed on the balloon air, making sure that her patient was still responding, pupping air into her lungs, even into a vegetable state.

"Is the doctor ready yet? Cause, she's out now.."

"The doctor is washing his hands as we speak, he's almost ready.."

"Good, go and bring him in.." With that, the nurse left. After she made sure that Gretchen was breathing more normally and went numb, she connected her into a breathing tube that was tied to the breathing machines as the last nurse went to check her heart rate.

"Her vital signs are good, what's left to do now?" After finishing putting the tape on the patient's mouth to make sure that the tube was hanging with force right through the larynx area. She added this. "Now, we wait for him to come in and put some of that red liquid as well, everywhere close to the area here, we don't want any mess to come.." With precaution, she lifted both eyelids and flashed a light to the eyes, making sure that Gretchen remained motioneless for the surgery. None, they were both unmoving. She taped them both with the rest of the scotching tape and put her hands on Gretchen's both cheeks, to keep her head from falling. With a slight of smirk, hiding behind her mask, she bend down behind Gretchen and whispered something that the other nurse couldn't hear;

"Not so strong, aren't you, _Gretchen?.._ "

...

"We don't have four seasons here, just two full pitifull seasons!"had spat a very trembling Tori, like she was making herself clear about that remark. "I'd probably move up to Miami,if I ever want to skip the winter season here. Grrr! I hate that freezing cold of freaking weather!" Trying to suck her hands into the pockets of her coat, Tori couldn't help but to shiver through the cold wind. She was waiting outside of the Cantuccio Il as she wondered if she should or should not go into the coffee-bar shop, but she was brave enough to come out from Gabe's appartement, leaving a poor sleeping dog alone, at the living room. And left the place. It was running late and the place was about to shut down its lights soon.

Gabe's gonna kill her, if he ever come back home, only to find out that she had vanished from his place. God. And there she was standing at the middle of the night alone.

 _I just couldn't stand there alone and do nothing but sit!_

She knows that she ended up breaking his rules and have to face the consecquences of her actions, soon or later. However, after what happened earlier today, she wasn't so sure about staying with Gabe anymore. And with the beast gone, she didn't feel safe with him now.

The visions.

Gosh, she didn't even feel safe on her own now. These visions were driving her crazy, nothing like that had ever happened before. Was it a side effect from the transplant? She heard from the past, that even if it's only a myth, that some people change after recovering from a transplant. True or not. The doctor told her to take it easy, after that attack or she could consider therapy or even turn herself into an asylum and she couldn't get access to the donor's identity since it was strickly confendential. Who was that woman, through Gabe's memories? Couldn't be Catherine, that woman had long blond hair and looked taller than her and she was being attacked by her boyfriend, beast or not. Nobody in the room wanted to help her out, so she had to escape. Her first thoughts were to see Vincent again, but remembering Gabe's conditions made her dither.

 _Gabe won't do that, I mean, convincing Vincent by putting an restraining order against me. I know he won't do that.._

But, she noticed something else as well. Just as she was about to get herself discharged from the hospital and as she waited for Gabe to get her, a woman in her late thirties came over to her room. Tori remembered the long blond haired woman who came into her room.

 _"Oh my god, you just look so much like her..." Sitting on the bed, wearing a green shirt with black jeggings, the red haired woman looked up at the woman who stared up at her, stunned._

 _"What?"She blinked back at the question as the woman stuttered back with an answer._

 _"After all these years, and despite Curt's blackmailing over me, I'm more than relieved to find out that you're totally not like your father, but more like your mother.." Still in shock, the woman approached the bed as Tori could observe her from her sight. The woman before had wild long dark blond hair, green eyes, but paler. She wore a long black trench coat along with a black scarf. Her cheekbones were red coming out from the cold or more like she ran into the hospital with her long and black high boots with heels._

 _"I'm just so happy to see you alive, Tori, there's so much I have-"_

 _"Who are you and how do you even know about my name?" The stranger stopped to talk at that point, before she responded with this, but more with a calmer tone. "I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. My name is Veronica Vasquez, I used to be your mother's best friend.."_

 _"My mom's best friend? She never mentionned about someone named Veronica before.."_

 _"It's a long story, Tori, but I'm sure we'll have the plenty of time about catching things up, together. There's so much things I want to talk you about. And that includes your parents's divorce and your mother passing away.."_

 _"I don't need your sympathies, my mother passed away a longtime ago.." Trying to be tough here._

 _"But I think she ended up hidding things from you, and that includes your father's true identity..."_

 _"What do you know about my father?"Veronica managed to keep on talking, even if she was getting cutting off from the red haired woman who seemed to be on her guard._

 _"It all started when they meet and how your father ended up blackmailing me.."_

 _"And why?"_

 _"Because I saw something that I shouldn't have seen.."_

Tori didn't need to make sure that Veronica was either lying or not, she looked pretty serious. So skip the shaking hand thing part, it's better that way. Veronica said that she knows a lot of things about her mother, but mostly about her father too. Veronica had also, mentionned to her that he blackmailed her, after she ended up seeing something she shouldn't have had seen. Did Veronica had seen him _beasting_ out, was he getting worse from that time?

 _"If not, know how much I love you, how much I need you.."_ It was the last words, he had pronnounced. Her daddy's words just before he beasted out and died from Vincents's hands. Even if it meant by self defense. Did Curt ever had tried to kill Veronica, in the past?

She took out a yellow card from her pocket with her left hand and with her right hand took out a burden phone, one of Gabe's and dialed the number, before she said this, still fixing the coffee-bar.

"Yeah, it's me. You gave me your card, that day at the hospital, saying you want to catch things up. I was wondering if we could talk, I mean from what you know about my parents..."

...

"Vincent?" He jumped back at that voice of hers, interrupting his working out. He was so focused on letting out his frustuation as he worked his movements out, that he didn't heard her knocking or coming in. She came back to him, after all the mess he had caused. He turned his head back as he watched her walking into the place, feeling the houseboat a little heavier now that they were two in the same place.

"Hey.." He got up and retrieved his sweater, trying to hide his hard muscular form from his ex-flame's, feeling a little feverish in here. Catherine took a few steps towards him, but still remained away. "What are you doing here? Are you okay? Did Sam do something?" He couldn't help but to ask these kind of questions back as she closed the door behind her back.

"No this isn't about Sam.."

"Ok, where's Gabe?"

"I came alone, I want to talk.."

"About?"

"About us..." She folded up her arms around herself as he sighed;

"I thought that there wasn't an us, anymore, I mean.." He ziped up his sweater as she let this out;

"Do you want there to be?" Did he heard that right? He walked up, slowly but close enough at her height, waiting like a tiger hidding through the trees in order to pounce up at its prey. Catherine didn't even budge at his movement, it's like she waited for him to come and make the first move. He leaned down at her as she looked up to him, hazel and desiring eyes waiting for him to lean down to her, close enough to touch her lips. He leaned down staring her lips, his heart wanting to explode, but as he went to wound his large hands around her waist, he felt something strange, warm and wet as she touched him with one hand down there. He narrowed his eyebrows in confusion, Vincent looked down at his shirt and took a few steps back from Catherine, completely stunned.

Blood was rushing out from the forming hole through his pierced sweater. And faster. She stabbed him in the chest. But why? Letting out a surprising gasping sound, Vincent stared up at Catherine, too shocked to feel any pain. Her eyes had darkened to his sight.

"Catherine.." He looked back to these hazel brown eyes that did not looked any desirable anymore. They were full of hatred. Hatred that he hadn't never seen from her before. A shining blade was at her side. Covered from his blood. No, not Catherine, it just can't be...The woman before him just said this and, boy was she right or not?

"Spare your breath, I don't need it! Now, you know why, you and I can't never be together. It's because of _him_. I don't need a monster by my side, which you are..And despite how many times you're trying to keep _him_ away, it's always gonna be between us. So, don't mind me, ending up your suffering for you, Vincent..."In fear, he backed away, raising up a hand hoping to resonate her, while the other clutched his wounded chest as he watched her raising the knife up at the air, but at him...He begged her not to do the unthinkable. Yes, he begged her and she still was coming closer to him with the knife up, as if she hadn't heard his answer.

"Catherine, please don't do this! Catherine, don't!...Catherine!" And he jerked awake in sweat, gasping for air as he sat up on his bed with a quite happy dog who was trying to wake him up by licking his face with its giant tongue.

Ed, sweet buddy...

He breathed in and out, trying to compose himself with the nightmare he just had by now. If Ed hadn't come up to him, Catherine would have killed him in this nightmare.

 _Oh God, it really felt so real.._

Under his dog's staring, he rubbed his eyes and wipped the sweat off of his face. Sunlight highlights were piercing through the room, which concluded that it was morning already. He threw the covers away as he got off from the bed, careful of not stepping onto Ed's tail. He went to the sink and splashed his face with water. It was the first time he had dreamt about Catherine killing him and with cold blood, she shot him once, but at a close range that was meant to save him from himself. However this time, it was different and she really wanted to finish him off for good. He blinked once or twice as he stared up at the mirror, completely soaked with water.

 _"And despite how many times you're trying to keep him away, it's always gonna be between us.."_

She was talking about the other part of him, the one that got almost out of control and had costed their relationship. Sometimes, he even wondered what Catherine would had done if she were the one whose life had been destroyed by the people whom you had trusted before? Would she had been that quiet to just sit around and do nothing? He looked back at the mirror before him, as he tried to calm down and to ease that stupid hangover from last night.

 _Damn, I'm so gonna kill Jeff, once he wakes up!_

From what he could remember from last night, he and the others went home, at J.T's place and the most of them wanted to get drunk. And really drunk, by the way. The Moutai Yingbin drink had an awful taste and just took off from the bar. He believed that all of them had emptied the bottles, included The _Jack Daniels_ bottles from J.T's hidden spot, like crazy and stupid teenegers and that lead them to do a stupid game. _Strip, truth or dare._ A new and erotic version of the original _Truth or Dare_ game. Jeffrey's game was a stupid mess, but what else was to do, and that kept him out from thinking about Catherine's smokey cat eyes? Did the most of them ended up naked, at the end?

From what Vincent could see, he only had his pants from last night and the rest were taken off, but as his eyes went down and noticied the pink and pale marking scar that was imprinted to his left side. Stuck into his skin was like remembering him, Catherine's betrayal. Forever.

 _"You can chose to walk away and save yourself, Save Us.."_

But he didn't save them. Save them from this mess. For a short while, he stood angry at her, until he had finally realized that she was just trying to do the right thing and sometimes, by doing the right thing, doesn't always means that you have to love it. He left her no choice and by doing that, she did the unthikable and the fact that he was tired to be angry, over something he made her do what she really didn't want to do. Break them apart, but who said that tough love was nice enough? He clung himself to the edge of the sink, on both sides. Vincent took a minute or two to stare at the man before him.

He almost couldn't recognized the man staring back at the mirror. So much that the beast in him had took an big advantage part of him, until he backed everything away. It scared him to see how much of a close state he was about to lose and Tori almost drove him into a most darker place he did not want to belong. Not that it was her fault, but somehow he blamed her for it. A half naked and very muscular, but tired man with moist eyes was looking back at him.

 _Dang, I couldn't even recognized myself anymore. Just to look at the mirror, reminds me of how much close I was about to lose.._

He shook his head, letting out of a sigh as Ed went up to him and to cuddle against his leg reminding his master that he wasn't alone in this. How long Ed was in the houseboat? Did Tori dropped him off? Did she crossed a bareer by going against Gabe's rules? Putting his thoughts aside, he turned around and bent down to his knees as he stroked Ed's head as the dog barked happily. He felt so glad to see Vincent smiling at him.

"It's okay, buddy. I'm ok. Ed.." Ed couldn't helped himself but to lick his face again. Vincent moaned whining that he had to shave soon. "Ed, stop that! I have to shave now..Gee, that tickles!" He laughed at the dog's supporting and loving gesture. As Vincent managed to calm Ed down, he noticied something weird hanging at Ed's red necklace. A folded paper note. He took it out from its grasp, gently to not scare his dog and unfolded the message. He narrowed his eyebrows in wonder, when he read this;

 _ **"Tori's gone missing. If I were you, I'd would watch my back, Vincent...She's unstable.."**_

It was signed Gabe. And without thinking twice, Vincent rushed to the bathroom as fast his legs could go. From what he heard from J.T and Gabe, Tori could be very unstable, at the moment now.

...

"Oh God, looks like I wasn't the only one who had a bad time after playing the officer on the undercover thing.."From her desk, Tess watched her partner coming into the place wearing some big sunglasses to cover her eyes. Even after a horrible night, Cat managed to be on time, with her hair in a loose ponytail, wearing a loose and long green shirt with sleeves, held a large non-fat french vanilla cappuccino cup, dropped her coat at her chair and sat at her desk. Sunglasses. Something was weird here.

"Something went off, last night?"

"Sort of..."

"Like?"

"I saw Vincent, last night..." That caught the taller cop's attention in here. "And?" Catherine just scoffed.

"It was awkward.."

"Such as?" Her partner tried to explain as she waved her hand as she tried to say;

"I mean...I never felt so weird around him, and it felt like it. I mean, weird. He had lost so much weight and looked very tired, I couldn't even noticied..After all that time, I thought I was the only one who suffered here.." Cat hoped that it was just enough to explain about her meeting with Vincent, last night. And to clearify this, he did not lost much weight, but still, he kinda looked like he had.

"I guess he suffered as well. No wonder it felt so weird, just to see him again in person, I mean.."

"Yeah, it felt weird.."

"But, why the sunglasses, so? It might rain during the day..." Cat just put her elbows on the desk and rubbed her temples, like she had an embarassing nightmare such as walking naked on the street. She let something like this, out;

"Two words. Asian flush." Tess just snorted at this, laughing at Cat's frowning face. After having a hard time with a certain and familiar Gretchen Hermandez last night, she needed a little life lightening up. Catherine and her genes, coming from her mother's were not always funny, but this time, it was. Asian flush, true or not, her partner might have some unwanted redness to handle for a few days to come. She was having a good time, until she caught the sight of Medina coming in with his phone at his ear. Geez, that dude needed to take a nap, cause he really deserved one.

"Sorry to disappoint you girls, but we are needed to come to a crime scene at the moment.." As he hung up his phone when Tess just folded her arms against her chest, as she demanded;

"Why the fire?"

"Why the fire, you ask? Cause a nurse from NY General Hospital had called at this moment, stating that she found a dead body at the surgery bulding area.."

"And why it does concerns us?"

"Because, it turns out that her personal items from her bag. The victim's bag, that there was a police card with your number on it.." Oh oh..

"Meaning?" She felt her jaw had tighten up at bit, feeling the worse to come as Catherine felt it as well. She looked up at Medina and despite, looking ridiculous with her sunglasses, she added being curious;

"A police card with Tess's number was found into that body's bag? Who told you that? The nurse?"

"Not quite. A few hours after that call was made and while you two were both late, deputies Gonzalez and Pitt were the first to come in and called for back up. Cheng mentionned for us to come up there and since your partner is invovled as well.."

"At what time, that call was made?"

"Around four of clock of the morning, the nurse wondered why the patient hadn't come out from the surgery and when she went there, she made a shocking discovery and I believe you know what I meant by.." Frightened, Tess and Cat looked at each other at the same time. Gretchen's surgery was scheduled around at eleven or at midnight, at NY General Hospital and they feared for the worst now. Gretchen hadn't called Tess back and it could only mean one thing.

...

"Ouch! I swear to God, I'm never touching an tequila bottle, for the rest of my life!"

"I guess Jeff was right, you do act like a drag queen, Ash.."

"Shut Up! Forbes!" J.T laughed at the guy's whining until he went up to the entry door, where someone was knocking quite loudy and seemed to be impatient. He groaned as he opened up the door to see a very distraught Gabe in his usual suit, who hadn't slept ever since last night.

"Hey, ever heard of an hangover?"

"Where's Vincent, J.T? I have some bad news to tell you.."

"Like punching someone's head?"Ignoring that remark, Gabe just blurt out this...

"No! Tori's missing ever since last night!" If J.T was sick from last night, he would have thrown up on Gabe's suit. His eyes went wide as they would want to pop out. "The hell, you've said?" Gabe just ran to the room without its permission and went to the bar as he ignored an very grumping Ash who was wearing his shirt from last night and red underwear, held a blue mug of coffee and an confusing Regan who was in her running clothes as she just came back from her jogging morning routine. Both of them were watching him as he tried or managed to find the right mug for coffee as he and J.T were talking still.

"What do you mean, Tori's missing? You've got to be kidding-"

"No, I'm not, I came back home at four of clock of the morning and noticied that she wasn't there anymore.."

"You don't think that she would probably go to Vincent, no?"

"I don't know.."

"You don't think about calling the authorities? Gabe, you can't be serious here!" Both Ash and Regan looked back at each other, completely confused and left ignored by the very panicked ADA guy and an very anxious J.T. still in his underwear.

"What can I say, J.T? If she over does it, I might have, not only I believe she's unstable, but I believe she has much changed ever since the attack and I don't know how much damage she can do now.."

"I have to warn Big Guy here, he has to know.." The professor went to his competers's desk, when Gabe held him back, with a hand.

"Don't bother, I've dropped him his dog back at the houseboat with a note. He must be running back, at any moment by now.."He poured himself coffee from the pot as his eyes caught up an very staring Ash. "You must be the new guy.."

"Yeah, I work and butch dead people for a living. Friends, call me Ash here.." Gabe nodded at that, not being sure if the guy next to him was kidding or not, cause he had a lot in his head at the moment as he turned back to J.T who was trying to catch Vincent who was probably on his way here. "Look, I've got to go back to work, the departement might need some of my help now.."

"But what about your situation with Tyler's murder?" At that sentence, Ash's eyebrows went into into wonder. "Hang on, you're involved into this?"

"Talking about butching people.." had muttured Regan back up.

"Look, my lawyer told me to not answer any questions at the moment. Tyler may had been abused, but I do know this, is that I wasn't invovled into her murder, like at all. So, as long I stay put, I shouldn't have any problem at the moment.."

"Man, I.."But Gabe wasn't having none of it, as he was making his way out of the Gentlemen's club.

"Call me, if you find Tori around, I gotta back into work and that includes the new guy here.."

"I'll go back once I'll have my coffee, thank you very much!" But Gabe had already left the loft, even without having the time to drink up his coffee, left alone. "What was all about?" had answered the blond haired girl back to both of them. When J.T didn't had a quite good answer to reply, Ash just let out this:

"He just wants me to work like a bitch, that's all.."

"Ash!"

"What? The guy had been away for I don't know how long and gives me orders, like out of nowhere? How am I suppose to react to this?"

"Polite?"

"Polite? My ass!" And as Ash wanted to add something back, Vincent had bursted into the place with Ed tied up into a red leash at his side, fully dressed into a grey shirt with the same pants from last night with a old grey winter coat. He looked alarmed with no sign of hangover marked on his face.

"Speaking about fading away like a ghost.."

"J.T. Did Gabe just came in, to burst out about Tori?"

"And left, just a few seconds before you came in.." He went behind the bar and took the left alone coffee mug and to a sip. He winced at the taste too strong. "How was your night, anyways? I mean, Ash and I had remained here when you and Jeff went back to your place.." He didn't remembered where Regan or Miguel went to after last night, but from what he knew Jeffrey and Vincent had left the building laughing like two retarded guys leaving J.T and Ash almost passed out from the drinking. He remembered waking up sitting on the sofa with a drooling and sleeping Ash lying on his lap. Both of them were totally topeless. Or that was how Regan had found them stuck together.

Hangover was the word to confirm their mistakes when it comes to an terrible drinking evening and special reunion night.

"Not quite a good one as for Jeff, I guess he left even before I woke up. Do you have any food for Ed? Gabe didn't left any at my door.." J.T just pointed the sofa across from the television where an quite huge Pedigree bag was left as he reached up for the milk bottle. At the same moment, a weird sound was heard at the room, more of an vibrating sound. Regan smirked when she noticied that Ash's face gone a bit redder.

"Ooh, looks like it's the job calling up here..." The black haired guy made a face as he remembered the pact he made with Tanaka, last night.

"My pants must be somewhere here, I'm gonna get them by now.." Dropping the mug on the counter, Ash went to look for for his pants who were lost somewhere to the place. As he filled Ed's water bowl, Vincent just asked this; "Just how much we ended up dranking up, last night? Anyways.."

"Too much, it's a good thing we had passed out even before the end of the game. I mean, intoxicated, but not enough to drop dead. However, I do remember that Regan refused to take off her dress, last night..." He pointed back at Regan. The blond haired woman waved her hands as if she was just defending herself.

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, J.T., but from what I remembered I didn't got any daring cards to do so...Or being asked to do anything daring...I guess I was just being lucky.."

"Yeah right, like all of us ended up naked, except for you..." had snorted J.T as she shook her head in denial, playing the inoncent one here.

"Like I said, I may have been drunk, but I was lucky.."

"It was Jeffrey's game, you may had tricked him with the cards.."

"I did not do such thing! Tell him Vincent!" As he rose up on his feet making sure Ed had his water bowl, he went behind the counter at her side. "Sorry Regan, but I didn't stay the whole night, last night and I probably don't really remember if we all had ended up naked or not..." And he turned back to a very disappointing J.T. He really was stuck between the two of them as they were forcing him to choose a side. Vincent sighed. "I may sound stupid if I say this, but, did I ever had thrown up last night? Cause this morning I believed I smelled nachos on me..."

"No Keller, you did not thrown up last night, I did..." had announced a very grumping Ash as he was on his knees on the floor, he couldn't tell whose clothes were lying down, but as he continued to follow the sound of a very vibrating phone, he managed to found them. Behind the tv. Covered with a few empty beers, he put them away and went for his pants pockets as he digged for his phone. Fitching up the iphone from his pants, he checked for his e-mails.

 _Two messages._

One from Captain Ward and one from Fujiko. Both at the same hour. Ash rose up and dialed her phone numbber. "Hey there, Tanaka..."

 _"You idiot! Where have you been? I've been trying to reach your ass!"_ She nearly and pitched screamed at his ear.

"Sorry, I've been dead-drunk for the whole night..."

 _"Ward is furious at the moment!"_

"What's going on up there? Your majesty?" He rolled his eyes up as Fujiko followed, trying to remain her tone.

 _"The departement had a very terrifying call on this very early morning! A call from a nurse from New York's General Hospital and needs its medical examiner to examinate the scene.."_

"Why don't you ask Chandler and Vargas?"

 _"The cops are on their way there and when I meant, scene. I meant crime scene with a body. A body was found on a gurney, covered with blood..."_

"Tanaka, I don't have time to guess, just be more clear...Okay, did the nurse described the scene?" Ash rubbed his temple like he tried to imagine the crime scene, but what Fujiko told him later, left him spooked.

 _"She said the body was mauled like it was by an wild animal that had attacked her and had snatched out the body's organs...Like all of them! It's female, just to specify, Ash..."_ His eyes widened at that he just heard that all organs from that body were snatched out? Oh God, just to think of it made him want to threw up.

"An animal? Where the body was found?"

 _"It was left alone at some surgery room, fourth floor, the nurse sounded so shocked that she almost had lost consciouness at the scene. Quite a frightening sight coming from an asian horror movie...I'm on my way as we speak.."_

"Oh, God..." It was the only word he could manage to let out as he looked back the very concerned trio who were behind the bar, looking back at him in silence as if they heard Ash talking to Fujiko. He gulped. "Tell Ward, that I'm on my way up there after I took a shower and change few clothes... Tell to everyone to not touch anything, Call me back.." He hung up and he shook his head to left and to right as he tried to decide which way to take one, he looked like he was about to explode in any minute. An very rushing heartbeat that was going to get out in any second,from what Vincent thought.

"Ash.."

"Gee, what a mess..And I thought that having a stupid hangover was worse, turns out it's not after all..."Ash was speaking faster, than he usually did, pacing around the place under his friends's watch.

"Ash, what's going on?"

"A body was found, at New York's General Hospital, huh, left alone at some surgery place, mauled to death-"

"Say what?" had spit out Regan, unbelieving. The guy quite took that call for an waking call, like he'd been sleepwalking. He gulped very hard as he spoke back, trying adjust the thing now.

"I have to go there...J.T, can I use your bathroom? I have to take a shower and go home to change clothes..I have to go quick!"

"Don't panick, buddy, go ahead! It's just behind you.."Without hesitating, Ash rushed to the bathroom as fast as he managed, like the devil was coming to get him.

"I'll call Miguel, he'll pick up some clothes for you to change, so you don't have to be late..."had offered Regan, reaching up her phone from her purple jogging pants and dialed her new boyfriend as she walked away leaving J.T and Vincent alone, in confused. J.T looked back at Vincent who was lost into his thoughts, fearing for the worst to come.

"You don't think it's Tori who did this, no?" But his friend just shook his head, almost shocked like Ash looked like.

"I don't know about that..." Vincent wasn't quite sure of what happened last night, but he knew one thing for sure. He wasn't involved into that cold murder scene, since he spent the night with Catherine and the rest of the gang. So it couldn't be him. But that left Tori aside and he was afraid that she may had done something far more irraparable this time...

...

"Tess, just calm down..."

"Calm down? Mooooi? Neh Neh, I would not!"

"We still don't know if it's Gretchen for sure, could be anybody on that stretcher..."

"Oh? What the hell ever happened to the switching part thing? That you were so worried? Sherlock?"

"Look, stop bitching and walk!"

"Says the girl who can't get rid of an ex from her naughty thoughts..." Catherine just made a face at that back to a very stressing Tess. They were walking to the fourth floor after they were got out from the elevator to check the surgery room followed by the lead nurse who gestured them the place. As the girls stepped into the place, the CSU team were already and worked up there under an asian young woman's orders. The place and objects were surrounded by yellow police tapes Fujiko Tanaka who was taking notes on her ipad and was standing next to the body covered all up. Drenched with blood. Along with a very frowning Medina who was standing there as well with arms crossed against his black leather coat, it looked like he was waiting for both of them to join the fun. The cop from NJPD had noticed that Catherine had kept her sunglasses and had come all the way with them, from the precinct.

"Why the sunglasses, Detective? The weather warned a tons of rain for today..."But Tess had cut him off, like her patience was reaching off of its limits.

"None of your business, Medina, can't we just jump into the conclusion here?" He just rolled up his eyes and nodded at the woman who raised up her black orbs from her ipad to look back at the girls standing in front of the stretcher, where the body was led.

"From what I can tell, it's not such a good idea to see the body, at the moment.."At her early thirties, Fujiko Tanaka was a petite person much like Cat's height, with a short boyish black haircut, big wide eyes behind her small rectangular glasses, were sending to Cat and Tess a serious look that had meant 'Wanna see this? You'll end up sick and very sick' Tanaka wore a black winter coat, however kept her hands covered up with sterilized gloves.

"Like she said, it's not such a good idea.." had added Medina back.

"How bad can it be?"

"Maybe we should wait for Ash to come over.."had suggested Tanaka as Tess snorted like this. From her stare, it looked like she knew more than she knows.

"I'm sorry, what? That stupid greek goat is working with you?"

"Who are you calling a goat? Vargas!" The four of them turned theirs heads to see the black haired guy who rushed into the building as if he was late for class. Ash reached up to them, standing to Medina's right side and at Tess's left side. Turns out the guy had a long and painful night just to look at his wet hair like he just walked out from the shower and he wore clothes that looked too big for him.

"So what do we got here?"

"That was supposed to be your job, Ash, where were you last night?"

"Almost dead drunk. Went to see that war hero guy Vincent Keller, since we shared a past, ten years ago and Regs thought it would had been a great idea to see him again..You know, catching things up?" Unknown to both of them, Catherine had kept her ears wide open at that reply. Ash had a past with Vincent, from before?

"And what happened?"

"I told you, we all dropped dead drunk. Like facedown and naked on the floor. Can't we just see whose body is under this sheet?" Tanaka just sighed, like she had excepted this to happen anyways. "As you wish, boss.." And with that, she took out the sheet away from the body's face and covered the rest of it. In order to avoid to get any sickier than that. Quite gory as Cat thought as she took a look at the face who was still intact. Trying to not imagine the rest of it.

Or whatever remained of Gretchen. The real Gretchen looked like she couldn't had the time to escape from death's doors...Her stomach was about to take its breakast out as she could hear Tess's voice shaking, as she faced the body as well.

"Feel sick, Cat?"

"I'll be fine..." Oh God, the sight was horrfying to describe, no wonder the nurse who called them was about to collapse when she found out the patient dead with all the blood on the surgery table. "Oh God.." Tess just shook her head, unbelieving the fact that the girl she had tried to talk with last night, had turned out to be dead and in a horrifying way. Naked under the sheet, Gretchen's eyes were wide open like she was shocked to find out, that her last hour would come by the hands of her doctor. Now, they were lifeless to anything. Splashed blood on her face, hair covered by a plastic blue hat, a hole on her chest was wide open...And who knows how many they were there.

 _Just like Tyler._

Her heart was stolen, just like it had been for Tyler, but all of them, Gretchen's organs were all out. A case like that could go all over the news, which means Lena's cover would be blown now that her friend had ended up dead.

"Looks like that bitch just got awakened from her surgery to just get herself killed by her surgeon.." Tanaka's voice had woken her up from her thoughts as Catherine managed to ask;

"Can you give us the exact time of death?"

"I'd say to four or six hours. Usually to take an fallen hernia out takes an very thirties minutes to an hour with precaution. But that depands on the patient's health..I'll know more when I'll do the autopsy, though.." Tess got a little pale at that sentence which made Cat worried. "Tess?"

"I'm sorry, Cat. Usually, cases like these aren't so bad when you don't know the victim. However, it's the first time I felt differentely...It's Gretchen, that's for sure.." She had admitted nodding at the dead lying body.

"Your captain might need a report, since the two of you seemed to know the victim..."had blurted out Medina back, staring at the two of them.

"Just me. Not Cat, idiot.."

"However, the two of you are involved.."

"I agree with my partner here, I wasn't involved with Gretchen, Medina.."

"Is that so? So, where were you, Chandler? And I mean, at the time of the murder was hold?" At that, the female stepped back, defending herself from his questions. Catherine thought she could manage to handle Medina around, but turns out that Tess was right in one point. He is a bastard, thinking he can play Dirty Harry to her face.

"Is this an interrogation? Let me remind you that we have a dead and cut out body that needs to be examined here, as we speak. So,until the real culprit is caught and like Tess had said earlier, it's none of your _freaking_ business.." She had stated out threatening the cop as she took off her glasses, revealing red burning spots on her cheekbones, from the alchool beverage from last night. Her partner tried to not wince at the sight when Tanaka whistled as a joking matter.

"Asian flush? Welcome to the club.." However, Catherine wasn't in the mood for joking, glaring at Medina. Not it ever had happened to her from before, she never went that hard on anyone. She was surprised at her own reaction here.

"Woah...Aren't we getting a little agressive here? I only asked you a question here.." He added back with an amusing smile like he wanted to make fun of her answer and expression. Catherine had to admit to herself that she went a little sensitive here. After the events of last night with Lena and Vincent, it was quite impossible to stay to put in hold. It never had happened to her before, to lose it. But Medina did quite accused her to be responsible of the crime here. Tess felt the tension here, trying not to grimace, just to look at Cat's burning cheekbones.

"Cat, you're sure, you're okay?" The brunette next to her took out a long sigh, trying to calm down as she closed her eyes for a minute, before she could reply.

"I got your back, you got that?" Tess just shrugged her shoulders knowing Cat won't answer her question.

"Whatever is the situation here, you girls stick together, no matter what, isn't that right?" had calmed said Medina with a bit of mockery through his voice, as a deputy officer came to him to talk. The two of them exchanged a few words as the girls whispered to each other, hoping that Tanaka and Ash won't hear them. Trying to find a good composure, Cat rubbed her arms as she oppened up her eyes, staring at Gretchen's body whose sheet was back on covering the rest of her head. Who knows what other things that bastard ever did do to her, while she was alive and awake?

"Cat, you can go home, if you can't handle the case.."

"I'm gonna be fine, Tess, I just need a little distraction here, keep my mind off from personal things.."

"You mean, Vincent or Medina? Medina is a little old for you, don't you think?"

"It's not what I meant.."As Catherine tried to explain, the other detective came back to them, with a sigh that said get the hell out of my life here or more like; Can't wait to go home...

"I've got some news here, and I hope you still have an solid stomach, here, cause a old man with his dog had found two bodies buried into the snow.." All stunned eyes were on him.

"Two others bodies and buried into the snow? Where?" had blurted out Tess as her partner just blinked twice at that. Had been kept away by his stupid mistake from last night, Ash looked up after he heard the news feeling his stomatch going upside down. Great another surprising hangover to endure today.

"Central Park, this morning and just a few minutes after that call from the nurse here...Both female.." Just what the hell is going on, now?

...

"Hey, Reynolds, you have a visitor...So shake your ass up.." The ex-FBI Agent and biological father of Detective Catherine Chandler bolted up onto the cold bench. Taking a nap in prison wasn't always comfortable as it seems and so are the neighbors. The silver haired man in the orange suit from Rikers Prison, looked up at the officer in uniform.

"Who would come up at this time? My daughter?"

"Not sure if you ever had cheated behind Windsor's back with his late wife, in the past, but who knows if you also have a red haired daughter, so..." The officer stepped back as an very and drenched red long haired woman, wearing a black coat, approached his cell, with a frown. And boy, did she looked even better pissed? Reynolds wondered if he was hallicinating or his eyes were seeing clearly.

Tori Windsor. Reynolds couldn't just believe it. She was still alive, after being abducted by some insane man who was after Vincent's blood, but had got hers, instead. How could she even stand in front of him when that insane fella had got what he needed? Something felt different here.

"Oh my God, Tori, how can it be that possible? I thought you were dead.." She managed to arrange her hair by pulling them back, despite them being wet from the heavy rain.

"Turns out, I'm not. But I'm not here to whine about how you had tried to kill me twice, along with Vincent..I'm here about something else, instead.."

"What do you want to know?"

"Like, how much my dad had paid that stupid company of yours, and I mean, Murfield.."Her green eyes looked like they could pierce through him with a very threatening feeling coming from her late father's very angry nature. "And be very truthful, cause if I ever find out that you're lying to me here, I'll rip both of your hands off..."

...

"Rui, I don't have much time to talk so make it quick.." Medina stepped away from the crime scene, leaving both Tess and Cat alone with the two M.E, Ash and Tanaka, as he spoke to his phone. He received news from Rui, the 'private detective' and best friend.

 _"Look, from what you told me to search, it looks like it was out of universe thing.."_

"Okay, so talk quick.." Rui tried to explain from what he found about the other case, in his own words.

 _"Look, Santiago, from what you told me to search is almost unspeakable...I've talked with a few co-workers from Reynolds's departement. Nothing pretty much to say, but private and a guy always doing it's job. Nothing out of ordinary until he was arrested from these unspeakable murders.."_

"So none of his co-workers knew of whatever he was doing behind? What about the case about Chandler and that bullet?"

 _"I was getting to the point there. I did some work for NYPD from years ago and what I've found about Chandler, is quite interesting..If hacking wasn't so illegal, I would had done the job without worry. Turns out, you and Chandler have a lot in commun, I mean both of you wanted to make a career with the law, years ago, but Chandler had gave up that path to persue law enforcement and you know why?"_

"What reason?"

 _"It all happened when her mother, Dr. Vanessa Chandler was murdered by two or three unknown men, at that night. Mrs Chandler was helping her daughter with her car, only to be shot by these guys. Frightened and traumatized, Chandler ran for her life into the forest, followed by these dudes and just when they were about to kill her, from exposing them, something or someone bursted out from the trees and slashed them to death, leaving Chandler alone at the dark.."_

"Rui, what does it has to do with the unmatching bullet?"

 _"I don't know, but that case is just weird, words, buddy. I've made three points about it; Uno, Chandler arrests her biological father from these mauling murders. Dos, a bullet in blood from Chandler's gun was found at the crime scene which made Hendricks very suspicious and had accused her of covering someone that may or may not be dead from her shot. And, tres, Vincent Keller comes out from the shadows after almost ten years of hiding. Amnesiac and recovering from a gunshot wound and just a few days after Reynolds's arrest..."_

"So, from what you're trying to say. You think that whacko hero guy has something to do with Chandler?"

 _"Just my idea. I'm not sure about Chandler's mother murder, if Keller had come in or not, but I strongly believe that they are involved in something and my guts is telling me, that Keller and Chandler are connected into Reynolds's arrest, just to put these days together and that would make sense.."_ Medina turned his head back the girls who were now talking to each other, wondering if Chandler looked any inoncent than she tried to be, after he heard Rui's part of the story. And mostly about Vincent Keller's part as well and if Rui was right about that fact, stating that if that war hero guy had something to do with Catherine's father's arrest. That could go pretty viral here...

...

 **So like it, so far? I know it's not much, but now that Gretchen is dead, things could go pretty bad for Patrick and Lena's cover and Cat having to arrest her, might be hard. What a shock about Vincent's nightmare, uh? And Tori, as well. What is she up to now?**

 **See ya!**


	12. Chapter 12

"Do you think you and your partner are gonna have to arrest the girl, you've seen last night?"

"I don't know about that, but now that we have three bodies in our hands, I guess we'll have no choice but to announce it as an official investigation. It means that we're gonna have to report it to our captain.." At the end, Catherine could consider Gretchen's case as an crime of passion from the way she was sauvagely attacked by her doctor or more like her killer.

"Everything?"

"Yup, everything..." Hands into her pockets, Catherine was watching the other half part of team CSU taking the two bodies off from the ground and to put each of them into a black bag, so they could be send to the morgue. She and Ash were standing under the Central park's bridge through the heavy rain, snow and cold. Accordding to the team and Ash, the bodies looked they were put to down, recently and seemed like they were both buried alive. But that could be false, if Tanaka could work on them by now. After they heard Medina's annoncement, Cat and Tess decided to split things up as she went with Ash to get a look on the bodies, when Tess decided to stay back the hospital with Medina.

With no sight of Cheng, Medina's partner, at all. He hadn't shown up to the hospital when they were first called, but he did, when the two bodies were found. The asian detective was standing close to the CSU team as he was watching them doing their work. That guy seemed to freak out Ash like a lot. He was no Raizo, but still, he freaked him out.

"It's my least favorite part of the case here. The real Gretchen Hermandez is dead and two female bodies were found today. There's nothing to escape that fact.." The black haired next to her side just nodded at that as she added with a question.

"What about the Tyler case, the one that has got Medina, all obsessed?"She turned her head at him, but Ash wasn't so convincing when he said this.

"I have no clue, she couldn't be a prostitute, she looked far too clean..With scars and bruises, not to mention that her heart was stolen and with that weirdo scar on her back, though.." He almost had added the history she had with a certain but not so inoncent ADA, Gabriel Lowan. Rumors from her grieving parents were that he had abused her making her suffer Stockholm syndrome. However, Cat knew better, if Tyler gave up everything for him, it was to save him from the beast, even if it meant by stealing a few formulas from Murfield's secret laboratories. Two female bodies were found and buried for who knows how long, into the ground that sounded so familiar for Cat...

Patrick had mentioned something like two girls from the club had taken at least two weeks off for vacation and Gretchen who was under the name of Lena was working long hours for the expensive surgery. Tess had tried to talk her out of it and the next day, she ended dead on that gurney. With Gretchen dead, Lena's cover was over.

"Too bad, I can't work on them.." Ash groaned being all envious, that caught her off. "What do you mean, you can't work on them? You're the one who practiced on Tyler, no?"

"Yeah, but only because Medina and Nguyen kinda forced me to do it at the departement, but it was simple to do it, without all the gory stuff you see on t.v. It was pretty easy to define that she was shot five times, had bled to death and to had her heart snatched away..."

"But still, I don't understand why, you cannot practice your work, when your partner can do it?"

"Tanaka works at the Benjamin Hospital and she usually helps me a lot, when she has some spare time. Let's just say, I've made a mess back there and got fired for it.." When Catherine made a face back at him, he tried to explain as he let out a long sigh.

"However, my name got cleared and I got my liecense back, but still I don't think I can ever step back up there, or even have the guts to ever go back.."

"When did that happened?"

"I believe it was near December to New Year's, but I ended up ok, at the end. Charges were dropped, stating that I had drugs hidden in my locker. Which was false, I guess someone was trying to frame me. But that was a longtime ago and, since your departement needed a new M.E, after Evan's death, I volenteered to work for the time being.." Cat could tell that he wasn't telling all the truth, but the fact that Ash had spent a few days in prison for a crime, he did not commited and got out of it, worried her for a minute. Did he also said that he and Vincent shared a past, as well? She wasn't so sure if she could trust the new guy here.

"Okay, that's enough of talking here, gonna have to face the rain soon or later.." She walked out from the bridge spot as she made her way through the heavy rain as Ash followed her behind her back. Holding an umbrella under himself, Nguyen stared at the bodies who were covered in black garbage bags as they were getting ready to be sent into the ambulances while the forencics cops were working on finding evidence on the aera. He spot an very soaked and frustrated Cat walking big steps with her boots onto the snow to his direction. With her hair glued to her face, but most of them couldn't hide the burning redness on her cheeks. No matter the weather, whenever it was raining or snowing that heavily, she did not looked pretty with this angry expression. Ash did not looked any better at all. He had bloodshot eyes, like he had cried or more like he had the most terrible hangover ever. The black coat belonged to him, but the clothes couldn't hide their mistfit on him.

"You must be Detective Chandler, Vargas's partner. I'm sorry if we haven't had the chance to meet before..."

"Nyugen, right? I'm not here for any formal greeting here. I'm here to see the bodies. Both female, I've heard from a certain and familiar black crow.." She identified Medina in other words, with unpleasent tone through her voice.

"You want to see the bodies? It's rainning here, Detective, all evidence could erase-"

"Then, make it quick, here. Or else, I'll report to my captain, that you and your partner held not one, but two dead 's an colloboration between the two depatements, no? If we're gonna be honnest here, it better be without any secrets. And, I'm not sure if you know this, but I do hate secrets. We're helping you with Tyler's case, you do the same with Gretchen and these two. Is that clear? You surely don't want to see me getting mad here, because you won't be too happy with the results. I'd run if I were you..." Boy, was she getting mad here, or what? Nguyen tried to not look offended when she threatened him, like he and his partner were stealing their case from them. From what he had heard from Captain Ward, Catherine Chandler was usually the quiet and wiser one, while Tess Vargas was a little hothead and loud. What he ended up seeing was quite the opposite here. With a sigh, he mentionned for both of them to come close to him. Under his black umbrella, so that all evidence could be spared. "Okay. Kostopoulos, you unzip the bags and look at them.."He eyed both of them, with a warning sign. "But be quick here, we can't let any evidence go away here.." With a nod from the female detective, Ash unzipped both bags to reveal theirs paling faces as he managed to stop his movement to theirs shoulders.

Deadly pale and covered in dirt, one had a messy dark hair while the other had a pale pink haircut, their eyes were both open as if they were in shock. Catherine couldn't put a name for both of them, but she knew that they were from the club, that both Lena and Gretchen were working. Those girls coulda had screamed for help, but nobody came to their rescue, when they put under by their killer. The word fear represented their faces as Cat observed their expressions, each of them.

She just couldn't imagine their fear. Dark. Alone. Pleading. Screaming. Chocking. Need. Air. Please, help me... Their voices ere very loud and clear through her mind like they were reminding her of an unforfogettable and terror event that she had experimented herself...

 _"Please, please, please!"_

She remembered that night, when she implored these three men to not kill her and spare her life, crying like a child. A certain and mostly dead guy, Vincent Keller had saved her, but did someone had come up to these women, who were ten times in more serious danger than she was? No. Nobody came or even had cared for them. She felt lucky when her ex-flame had come over to save her, but now, she kinda had wished that her mother's guilt had died with her. Kinda had wished that Vincent hadn't saved her, after all. Escape all the pain.

"Were they declared as missing persons from before?" She managed to blurt out.

"I'm not sure about that, Medina and I weren't here two from weeks before. Means that you and Vargas would have to go through them, to find out.."

"You know the exact cause of death here, Nguyen?" The detective just shrugged his shoulders.

"Not sure about that, Detective, but from I believe, I think they were both buried alive. So maybe from asphyxia.."

"And nobody reported them missing?"But Nguyen kept defending himself.

"I told you, I wasn't there when it happened. And besides, who cares about two prostitutes that ended up in vacation or turned missing? Nobody would care here..." Damn.

"I'll ask Tanaka to let me do the autopsy on both girls..."Cat turned to look up to find an very thoughfull Ash, who looked like he was also trying to solve the mystery."I don't know about the asphyxia thing here. But my guts is telling me that there's more than the struggle to hanging in breathing..." He added back.

"You'll think about doing the toxicology here, figuring out on what went through them?"

"There's no sign of struggle on their throats, but I do see some dried blood coming out from their mouth. Both of them.. I don't know if they were shot or poisoned, but I'll ask or beg Tanaka to let me do the autopsy, because there's more than that here..."

Were they poisoned? Ash seemed to believe it.

"It's gonna be all over the news here..." Had muttured Catherine with a frown as she was watching the bodies zipping up as they were being transported to the ambulances when the M.E tried to reach up Tanaka about letting him do the job.

...

"Who's dumb enough to watch the Looney Tunes cartoon, here?" Sitting on the floor, Ed was waving his tail up, like he was happy. Vincent seemed like he agreed with the happy dog, lounging to the couch like he own it like a king. A coffee mug on the left hand, he turned his head at J.T as he pointed the tv with his free hand, as he defended it;

"What? It's Ed's favorite cartoon show!"

"Since when dogs have a favorite tv show?"

"Come on, J.T, let the dog have fun once in a while. They are much like us humans, than cats.."had followed Regan back who remained with J.T at the bar. "And besides, my son also watch that show, by the way.." That caught both of the guys's attention here, mostly J.T who was astonished as he stared at an very shamefaced blond haired girl who tried to not look back at him or at Vincent. She hang her head down, fixing the mug that was held by her hands.

"Your son? You have a kid, Regs?" Regan just shrugged her shoulders, being all shy, like she used to be almost ten years ago.

"When you were gonna tell us?"

"None of you asked.."

"Well, he just did by now.." Looking shocked as he was, Vincent wasn't expecting this to happen. From what he could remember about Regan, he knew the girl who was always shy and could barely say a word that sounded intelligible, at least to him. However, she looked totally different today, like she finally had managed to gain confidence on her own way. But he didn't remembered her dating anybody from the time he had left the hospital for the army, unless that souvenir hadn't came into his mind yet.

"Okay, you guys had caught me off of guard here, I do have a kid..That's true.." J.T whistled at that remark as he followed being excited with this;

"Woah..I mean do you have pictures of him? And how many? What's is his freaking name? Come on, Regs, tell us!" With a encouraging sigh, she raised her head up and looked at the both of them in the place. "Well, I..I.. I named him Vincent, with Alex's permission, of course.." She looked back at the sitting and stunned man, who didn't know how to express his feelings at the thought that Regan had decided to name her son after him. He was out of words, as he shook his head here.

"Regan..I..I.."

"It's okay, I mean, I..I..I thought that you had died at the field back at war..So..After I gave birth, I told Alex of what she have would thought if I named my boy after you and she said that it would honor you, if I ever did it and that it wouldn't upset you.."

"Upset me, why would it upset me..?"

"I don't know, I thought it was weird at first, but when the nurses had brought up my son into my arms, I just felt like it was there. Like this little red face had known his name already and Alex had accepted it.."She believed for a second that she was messing up with her words, feeling more shy as her face was getting more redder. Quite an embarassing moment. Feeling flatered than he ever had felt, Vincent had dropped his coffee mug on the table in front of him and jumped out from the couch and landed before of an very frightening but surprised Regan who kinda had stepped back. He tried to explain;

"Don't be ridiculous, Regan. I feel very flatered that you named your kid after me. All this, is just a little overlwheming to adjust, but it's great.."

"Sorry, I didn't wanna to make you feel uncomfortable, I just.."She tried to answer, but got cut off when Miguel had penetrated into the place. "Guys, check up the news, you've got to hear this! Switch it to channel 6!" He pointed the television breaking up the awkward moment between them. J.T volunteered to step in as he took the controler and put the channel that Regan's boyfriend told them to do so. Much to Ed's despleasure who wanted to see his favorite show and had barked loudly at J.T's movement.

"Tell him to calm down! I don't know how to talk down to a dog!"

"You do know how to pep talk me down, calm down, Ed!" Had ordered his master when Ed couldn't hide his fear when the archivewoman who was an african american woman through her mid thirties in a red suit, appeared at the flat screen, despite the cold and heavy rain that was trying to mess up the interview, she managed to say this.

 _"Can't say how many bloody cases the NYPD departement would have to go through this year, but it turns out that after that mysterious case about Tyler Steveson's death, cops had found out three other women dead in a very early morning. One of them were identified this morning, Gretchen Hermandez, by the duo female cops. Detectives Catherine Chandler and Tess Vargas. Gretchen Hermandez, escort girl from the Esperanza club was found dead this morning, at NY General's Hospital by an routine nurse while the two unditifided women were found buried into the cold and heavy snow..The M.E, strongly believes that the two of them were poisoned since there were no sign of struggle. Two autopsies would be done by the time of being.."_

Two other bodies were discovered at the same time when Gretchen was found? Was that the woman that Vincent had heard Catherine talking with, last night? No, she said that she was going to arrest Lena, if she ever does do something wrong. From a moment he thought Tori had put her nails on Gretchen's skin here, but since there's no autopsy done here, he couldn't tell if she ever had done it or not. If Lena, Cat's old friend was into it? Watching the news where Ash and Catherine had denied any comments until Captain Ward would make an official press conference in the early days to come.

"So the hospital is gonna be on investigation, since they were the last people to had seen the victim coming in here?" had interrupted Regan as she was trying to figure out the situation.

"Maybe surrounded by cops, since most of them had let her in..." had responsed Miguel who was focussed into the news with a frown, he folded his strong arms against his black shirt. "The staff would be watched in every careful move.."

"Why, you say that?" To answer her question, Miguel pointed the tv as the news kept on following with this;

 _"Detectives from New Jersey, Cheng Nguyen and Santiago Medina are also involved into these new cases, as their departement had agreed to collaborate with the NYPD, about the Tyler Stevenson's mysterious and death case. ADA, Gabriel Lowan has been accused to be responsible of the death of his late and secret girlfriend, Tyler Stevenson, by her parents who managed to identified her body found a few days ago and wanted to purse charges against him. The ADA had remained silent to these charges according to his lawyer.."_

"You think, that Gabe could be in trouble, by now?" had whispered J.T as silent as he could close enough to Vincent who shrugged his shoulders, like it didn't mattered.

"Or maybe exposed as a beast? Yeah, that could happen. I mean, no one had found out about me killing beasts like Zach or Curt..Yet.." J.T gave him a terrified look at that meaning, as the archivewoman followed;

 _"Till now, we're waiting for Captain Ward's word about these women's deaths and we'll let you know about it, soon enough..."_

"Did she just said, Medina and Nguyen? I am sure I heard those guys's names somewhere.."Had revealed Miguel lost in thought. Vincent tried to not look affected by Regan's boyfriend's tone as he asked this;

"What do you mean?"

"It's maybe a rumor I've heard, but I think that one of them is invistigating Chandler, that the Internal Affairs or FBI weren't too convinced about Reynolds's arrest and had forced one of the guys to follow Chandler in every step..." Just to hear Miguel's words out, Vincent had wished that he wasn't worried about Catherine, but he was in fact for her future and for himself. If one of the New Jersey cops were spying on Catherine's cover about the reason of how her father got arrested and found out the truth behind these murders that he was forced to do by Reynolds's orders, both of them could be exposed to the light. Mostly him as a beast, an experimented subject gone wrong by the U.S government. Next to him, J.T gulped very hard as he was about to be found guilty. He turned to his friend was now showing a nervous smile at him. However, he wasn't so happy that his friend had held secrets from him.

"Got anything to say, buddy?" Vincent had said as he folded his arms against his chest as the professor winced in shame. His heartbeat was telling the truth by speeding up a little irregular than it used to be. J.T smiled as if he got caught, like he was trying to steal a cookie from the jar, this time.

"Got any gummy worms to share, Big Guy?" It's gonna be a long talk.

...

"You must be out of your mind, Tori, I wouldn't had wanted you to be killed.."

"But you did had tried to have me blown up at my father's appartement and then, at the dungeon where J.T was held by an maniac.." _Before he could get to me and Vincent._

"And I am telling you, it wasn't me who tried to kill you this time and keep your voice down here..." It's been a few minutes that the red haired woman was demanding answers from the ex-FBI Agent and she was getting very impatient as he kept saying that he had no idea about Curt's affair with Murfield. Although, he'd been given orders to kill him and finish all the creatures and that both included Tori and Vincent.

"What If, if I don't want to? Would they put me into a psychiatric ward? Just how much did my father had paid that company of yours?" That sounded a little sturbborn feeling here.

"About Curt, I don't really know, I mean, he was into Murfield's secrets experiments, from years before the army had collabored with them. We're talking about almost thirty years ago..."

"But it went wrong, no? He had no idea that it would had affected his wife and kid, uh? My mother and I. Both of us had suffered for its stupid mistakes.."

"Before you can add anything else, Tori, I really had no idea that the experiments could go on into transmission-"

"You liar!" She exploded pointing at the man hiding behind his prison's bars, Bob had shivered at her frustruation. Tori, looked nothing like her dad anymore, but more of a victim whom exacted answers from him. She took deep breaths as she tried to calm down as Bob managed to take the situation.

"You have to believe me, I had no idea that beasts genes could be transmitted down and I think your father had no clue, either.."

"What about Vincent? You think he had a single clue of what he would had to go through? What about Catherine?" He narrowed his thick eyebrows, as he wondered this. "What about Catherin-"But he got cut off as she followed with an sudden rage that she couldn't manage to control. "Yes! Catherine! You seem to forget that if it wasn't for Vincent, you wouldn't had never, never meet your precious little daughter, if it wasn't for him. Catherine might would have been dead, if he hadn't come in. So, you do owe him a huge and big favor here!" The red haired woman had angry tears who threatened to come out as she blurted out the last words that came through her mind. Catherine had mentionned to her that Vincent had saved her, a couple years ago. Before all the chaos had begun. Tori's stupid choices lead Vincent to do bad choices. No wonder he doesn't want to do anything with her now. Reynolds had stood stunned at this answer, as if he couldn't believe it. The man that he had formed to kill beasts was the one that had spared his daughter's life from years ago?

Vincent Keller had saved his daughter? That was impossible, it had to be..He destroyed that man's life by taking him and by-

"Tori, where the hell have you been?" Speaking of beast. Gabe managed to come in passing through a security guard who tried to follow him. However, the former female beast ignored him as she demanded an answer from the old silver haired man, who stood in shock. And boy was she pissed, or what?

"I. Need. An. Answer. Now..Don't make me do this.."She said through her grinding teeth.

"Tori, I.." But it was too late. The red haired woman passed her hand through the prison gates and grabbed his wrist with 'less' force as she wanted to. "Tori!"had shouted Gabe in alert as Reynolds was taken back by her sudden grisp on his hand.

Her eyes widened open as she was being transported to many different places one by one that she couldn't count. Whitened and speeding flashes of a couple that were dating, had fun and had sex. A doctor and a agent. Reynolds meeting another man in a suit with blue eyes along with the doctor, an asian woman who could had been pregnant. The man in suit and herself had wedding rings. Reynolds spying on that woman and two little girls, mostly his own girl that he had abondoned behind. Labs that went wrong like everything, from a couple years later. Men and women lashing and killing out of control at the field were running like uncontrollable creatures. An horrible mistake from the government's choices and gotten the order from them to get these creatures killed. Oh my God.. Tori tried to gasp for air as she was experimenting these vicious visions..

"Tori.." had whispered Gabe in shock not sure what to do at the moment. Tori couldn't hear him since she kept on letting the _visions_ go and on-. But after of what it seemed to be an eternity, she snatched her hand away from Reynolds in shock as she tried to stepped back from him in horror. Leaning to the wall, she rose up her green orbs at him, in fear. Oh God. What on earth did she just see in him? Both of the men were staring up at her, waiting for her to react as she pointed, directly at the man who was protected behind those gates. Trying to regain her breathing in control, she added this as if she warned the old man.

"You stay the hell out of my life, you're much more of a monster than Murfield used to be.."And she walked away from the Bob's cell, as she was decided to get out of this damned and filthy place, under the two men's worrying watch.

"Just, what's going on, with Tori? Lowan.."

"I have no idea.."

 _Just, what's going on, with Tori?_ Gabe couldn't put the right word into the problem, but he could tell that Tori was acting very strange here. The same thing had happened to the appartement, not long ago. He remembered being so distraught after he came back home and had confessed his heart to her about Tyler. And later had occured with the hand on the shoulder. A simple and nice gesture, thanking her for being so compassionate. But he had no idea of whatever she was going through. Ever since she got that transplant surgery, she seemed very different than before.

He had sent a warning message to Vincent, this morning. Thinking, she may be out of control. Now, he actually believes that she's really out of control.

...

"So, let me get this straight here, you and Vargas were both invastigating on Sandler and Hermandez, from the very start?"

"Not officialy, but we did ask questions concerning the case to the girls back at the stripper club. A man named Patrick had pleaded me to help Sandler to stop from killing her husband..Lina, an barmaid had known Hermandez, but barely had known Sandler and Álvarez, the guy was occupying the financials records of the club, so.." Trying to keep Álvarez and Lina's affair away, for the moment. It wasn't a good idea, but until she could confront the barmaid to face the truth about the affair. Not that she didn't believed Lena, but she wanted to make sure.

"To kill her husband, you said? That's a little a too much here.."

"From what I've heard. Gretchen had agreed to take her place, meaning they've switched identities, to make it easier for her to look on him, under someone else's name without getting caught.."

"And I believe you didn't take as an important case? I presume.."

"It's not like I wanted to believe in him, but I wanted facts and proofs. Patrick had forgot or did not mention of any of the switching thing, because he was afraid. Not only for himself, but for Sandler. So Det. Vargas had agreed to help me out on finding answers.."Had admitted Cat, trying to look formal and professional, despite her drenching clothes from the heavy rain and Medina looked a kid that went out too much at the rain to play the tough guys on the streets.

"And the two of you ended up talking to them...And out from talking to anybody and that includes me.." Captain Ward didn't looked too much pleasant at these news. Both Cat and Medina were sitting before his desk as they managed to explain the situation, Cat, mostly had to explain the other case about Lena and Gretchen's cover. But with three girls dead, things were getting hard for them to be quiet here. Catherine knew she should've had said something about Lena's running and trying to stop her husband of her own, but she wanted to see it from her own eyes. "Sandler didn't wanted to cooperate at all with any cop. She stated that she could handle her ex-husband on her own, I tried to talk to her down, but it didn't worked and left, as for Hermandez, Vargas would explain it to you.." She shoved out a breath when she added this;

"You ask, officer Pitt, sir, he was the one who had brought Patrick into the station and had asked for my help. I was about to the leave the station, when I saw him there..." Looking grim, Ward just nodded and looked back at Medina who just stayed silent, during the conversation.

"What about you, Medina? You've known about this?"

"Nope, I just minded my own bussiness and followed the work I was ordered to do..." However, Ward managed to defend Lowan, even if he wasn't present here. After Medina and Nyugen had barged into the station, Ward had found time to study them both and from he had heard and seen from the staff, wasn't so great to endure.

"Or more, about the work you're obsessed to finish. I don't think you'd find anything guilty about Lowan being abusive towards his late girlfriend. Despite the bruises on her body, the changes of him being guilty are very thin here..If you want to prove him guilty, you're gonna have to find something more deeper than that..." The crow man next to Cat just groaned in disgust, but what Ward had for her wasn't better either. "As for you Chandler, you shouldn't have had kept this case in secret between you and Vargas. Three women had died in different hours, but at the exact same day and an official invistagation is about to be declared by now.." She nodded as she understood his jugdement, refering about Gretchen and the two others girls as he added this. "You and Vargas would have to find Sandler and her boyfriend of hers..." And how, are they gonna do that? She lost any lead of where Lena could have gone into, ever since last night.

"But without any warrant, we can't get access to their things or to their places. Sandler's only place is the stripper club that she works. Other than that, no one knows where she or Patrick lives.."

"A searching warrant is on its way as we speak, you don't have to worry about penetrating into Sandler's work or bedroom, without breaking any damn rules. Now, try to track Patrick's phone calls through your phone and catch him.."He spoke firmly back at her who kept insisting. A searching warrant was in the works? She just couldn't believe it. They really wanted to catch Lena and they were sure.

"But we don't know for sure if Sandler was the one who killed Hermandez-.."But her captain wasn't having none of it at all. He slapped his desk with his fist as she got cut off by his very anger voice.

"And we have three bodies lying on our shoulders! Do me a favor, Chandler, don't try to deceive anybody here! If both Sandler and her boyfriend are responsible, well you can go and arrest them together! Am I that clear?" Cat held her breath as she nodded in silence.

Three dead bodies were found today. One that was mauled to death as its organs were snatched out. The rumor said it was unhuman, more of an dangerous animal like. It couldn't be Vincent, she spent the most of her undercover time with him, last night. What about Tori? Catherine wouldn't say if she got rid of her beast genes, like Gabe did. She wouldn't trust the former female beast. But what about the girls that were buried underground? That was unexplained. According to Ash, there were no single of struggle or strangle, but poisoned. Just how many days? Were they down there?

He practictly had begged Ward to let him do the autopsies and left Tanaka to do Gretchen herself, at Benjamin hospital. Both of them were working on them as she and Medina were both sitting at Ward's office. With a sigh, she rose up from the chair and left the office without even excusing herself, under their watch. As she've reached up to her desk and noticed her partner's head who was still following whatever work she was doing at the moment.

"You're comforting yourself by watching a couple porn videos online, now?"

"Not if my mind was focused on a half human creature and a friend on the run. Tanaka is still practicing the autopsy and I'm still waiting for her to call back..What about you? You think, you can trace Patrick through your phone?"

"I'm not so sure about that, he may had called from a phone cabin, but it's worth to try. Ward had told me that a searching warrant is on the works, so the invistagation is official now.."

"It's not good news, I mean for your buddy. Go and leave your phone to the tech, Tucker, he'll do it in a few minutes while I try to reach Lena's uncle in Chicago, he'd like to know, I believe, about his niece by now.." had replied Tess back as she took the phone from the desk and dialed the phone number from her block note paper as Catherine went to the evidence room where an slim guy in uniform with a weird long brown long hair tied up to an ponytail, that needed to be washed was standing before his desk with a computer. Tucker was hired to guard the place and to help the cops to trace untracing phone calls.

"You think you can trace a certain Patrick guy, without checking my other phone calls? Please?" Tucker was a weird guy for everyone here, but not that stupid. He raised an big and bushy eyebrow at her.

"I'll try, but don't blame me if I end up listening to an anonmyous caller. Can't really trust them, you know?"He asked back, trying to not look offended by that question. He could see that Cat struggled to find the right words about justifying her reason.

"I do know that, but can't you just at least skip them, and foccus on the real guy, here?"

"Can you just delete your phone calls history, if you're that supscious of me finding them, private?" But she shook up her head, saying that it wasn't an option, at all.

"I'm sorry, I can't risk that. Patrick, the guy that my partner and I are trying to find here, may have been an anonmyous caller, I believe and deleting them- without knowing- is also a risk too.."

Would she be able to keep them all together and without letting Tucker know about the previous phone calls she that made for Vincent, before? Tucker just sighed over this and lift up his hand to her phone as he told her that he was going to be careful about not to answer the other phone calls. Cattherine just thanked him and walked back at the front when Medina walked out from Ward's office. She kept walking, trying to ignore the guy behind her back.

"Chandler, we have to talk here.."

"Not now, I'm gonna have to change clothes, can't get sick from the rain.."

"Ward has just received the warrant for the club.." Cat stopped her tracks at that revealation and swun around at the man. Ward made it fast. Supsicious, she stared him back. "He received the searching warrant?" That was fast.

"Yeah, as we were talking at the office, a call was made and your captain took it and put on speaker. Someone, a man with a deep and husky voice saw a certain brunette walking towards NY General Hospital. Around eleven to one clock of the morning...I can still remember that hard look on your captain's face and it didn't looked that much good at all.."

"And that warrant?"

"A few seconds after that call was made, from judge Danielle Harrisson's accord was , boy, Ward was mad as hell..."But Catherine went on with more questions as she walked close enough to block the european detective from walking away.

"Did that person gave an description about that woman?"

"It was dark and late. So I don't believe he saw much of a thing, but he remembered that she walked just the way that a whore would walk on the street..." She gulped at that point. Could Lena do such a thing like that? Hang on a minute, Medina had said that a man with with a deep and husky voice was the one who made that call?

"You said that call was made by a man with a deep voice, did he gave a name? In case if we'll have to contact him back.."

"Yeah, he sure did.."

"And, what's is his name?" Oh God, she was afraid of the answer he might give up to her. "Medina, I need a name here.." She blurted out, nervously as he added this with his brown eyes watching her trying to preserve her cool.

"That whacko hero guy, Vincent Keller..."

...

"NYPD! Everyone here, get the hell out of this place!" Lina was startled in surprise by an certain female detective's voice that had bursted into the place. She was serving a client as an awfully and loud knocking sound was heard. One waitress came to open the door when she saw the two detectives from the other day coming into the club. Both Chandler and Vargas. The poor and distraught blue haired waitress went to hide behind Lina's back as she said this with much control and calming voice as she managed to hold;

"What's going on here?" Both of the girls walked to her sight. Lina only had the chance to meet Catherine. But today, sweet kitty girl was no longer patient and reasonable. Her eyes were screaming with fury and desperation here.

"We need to check up the place here, from what we know, I believe you weren't so honest to the authorities about knowing a certain Gretchen Hermandez who was found dead this early morning..And the fact that you might had known Sandler, from the past..."

"And what it has to do with the club?" She turned back to the other female cop who was filling the ex-stripper the rest of the reason they were here.

"My partner Det. Chandler wasn't finished, she believes that one of the strippers was caught off at the night of Hermandez's murder and thinks it's one of the girls here. So we need to check the place, including the girls's rooms like all of them here.." The strawberry blond haired woman's eyes went big at that, that was unexcepted.

"You can't do that! You have no proof!" But Tess added again, helding up a gloved hand to Lina from talking.

"A call was made today and some guy- whom I won't declare his identity, has said that he seen a woman walking around the hospital, during the time before the murder was made. And he said that she was walking like a whore down at the street..."

"We have a searching warrant to dig to all rooms here, so if I were you, I'd would back off by now, or else you'll have to deal with me here.." But the barmaid was not affraid Cat's fair warning as she gave her glare look, that meant -the don't you even dare do it here-thing.

"Trust me, you don't want to mess with her.."had revealed Tess when Catherine had brought up the warrant from a certain judge Danielle Harrisson, whom had agreed to help them on the case. Lina stared at the paper with wide eyes, like her world was about to fall apart here. With a frown, Tess had added back; "Come on, Lina step out of the way and let us do our job here, or else you gonna to face judge Harrisson's bad behavior.."The ex-stripper backed away from them as Catherine said this; "Call the girls and the guys to get out of the place, we'll gonna sneak up everything in here. And I mean, everything here.." Her voice went cold like ice. Confused and spooked custumers, waitresses and all the sleepy strippers stepped back from them as Cat and Tess rushed up to the stairs in hurry.

"You sure, about this, Cat?"

"Let's just get this over, I need my mind to be clear here..You go and check the right side when I'll go for the left one..."

"Wanna check Gretchen's room, or more like Lena's place, since they did the switching part?"

"Wouldn't hold myself back, for nothing..." The other cop nodded and they split to go and search for each room as they begin to work. Back at the precinct, Tess who tried to hold on, on a call trying to get Chicago authorities was spooked by an very and frustrated Cat that was cursing about Medina being an ass, over and over. "You got yourself in a fight with him?"

"I wouldn't say that, but you were right about him, being an ass. Ward had received the searching warrant to search into the club, to penetrating through Lena and Gretchen's working place..."

"Gee, that was fast. I mean, the fact that we both held an case behind Ward's back. Now, I think it's official. Usually a searching warrant takes a whole day to get. What provoked Ward?"

"I'll tell you this, he received a nice call, just a few minutes after I left the office to give my phone to Tucker. You'll never guess who called Ward.." She could sense anger through her partner's features on her face.

"Who did?"

"Vincent called, I've checked and heard the call at Ward's office. The three of us, Ward, Medina-ass and I heard the call. Medina had the call recorded so that would explain everything..." Tess stood up from her desk as she watched her partner put her coat back on, not bothering about her drenching clothes and that she was about to get wet and soaked up, again. "It was his voice, Tess. I've heard it quite and clear. And he's about to break Lena down by blowing her up to justice, before I can do it on my own..." Her tone was shaking, despite the will for trying to be the strong one here.

Did Vincent had betrayed Catherine enough? First with Alex, Tori and with Lena, now? He wanted Lena to be exposed? It should be a good thing, no? Stopping Lena from comitting the unreaperable, like killing her soon ex-husband. But Catherine wanted to take care of that case in private, without any bad things to happen. But with three bodies on their backs, it was impossible to keep it quiet.

 _It was his voice, Tess. He's doing it again.._

She hated to see Cat breaking down because of him. Just to see her enduring the mess he makes her carry on her shoulders, while he's having all the fun and that she has to pay for his consecquences, like she had no choice.

Once she's done with the searching room work, she'll be happy enough to kick Vincent's ass, for betraying Cat's trust again. Tess swore that thought to happen in the near future.

"Tess!" Down on her knees, Tess looked up from the under bed, she turned her head to her partner who stood at the door's entance, holding something shiny and silver in her gloved hands with a frown. This was bad news.

"Found anything?"

"I did.." With a gloved hand, Catherine raised up an silver but small gun. Quite small to say. Under her partner's confusing stare, she added; "And you know where I've found it? Under Gretchen's bed, which means under Lena's bed in there.."

...

 _"Vincent Keller comes out from the shadows after almost ten years of hiding. Amnesiac and recovering from a gunshot wound and just a few days after Reynolds's arrest..."_

Rui's words kinda had haunted Medina who was pouring an second coffee refill. War hero, Vincent Keller didn't rang a bell to him. He heard about a guy that had been missing or been declared dead, after ten years on the news. However, he had never heard that name from before. Ten years ago, he was too busy of trying to sace his ass or more like he was trying to survive. For him, that day when terrorists had attacked the towers didn't mattered to him. He was living it that kind of attack in Moracco, but that was many years ago and he moved on. Did Chandler had really had crossed roads with Keller, what about the arrest with her father? Was Vincent Keller really involved, than it seemed to be? From what Rui had told him, before, the amnesiac ex-soldier got himself shot after protecting Curt Windsor's daughter, heiress Tori Windsor and then, he later had become a sort of celebrity to everyone, not to mention that he saved the whole staff of the police departement and FBI Agent Dana Landon from being taken hostage.

Putting his fingers through his hair, to bring them back, Medina walked back and sat at Tess's desk with his coffee cup, rethinking over and over about the case that he was forced to do so. He wanted to bust Gabe Lowan and be down with the Tyler Stevenson case, he didn't want to babysit an cop with her past meetings affairs.

 _"Don't forget this, Medina, you own me a favor here. If it wasn't for me to save your ass from prison, you wouldn't be a cop today, you'd rotting in jail as we speak.."_

Hendricks was right in one point, he did save his ass from being in jail. However, the man wanted Medina to return the favor here. Just a few days before Nguyen and himself could go to New York, Hendricks had called him and told him to come to his office. Medina could still remember that day where he sat before a very frustrating Hendricks who sat behind his desk as he explained the situation;

 _"Grab the Chandler case and find something that I hadn't found from her. I believe that Chandler is covering something that she won't tell to me.."_

 _"And what makes you say that she would confess herself to me?"_

 _"Because you can be very tricky as well. You're a good cop Medina, and besides, you do know her partner as well, so I believe it won't be a problem for you to get her.."_

He didn't wanted to risk his career once again. Now he was an father and lovely husband, with his wife Laura and his two kids. He didn't wanted to put them in peril again, by that stupid case. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even heard the tech guy calling for Chandler. He looked up to see an guy with a very long hair tied to a very long ponytail coming with another cop trying to get the missing cop here.

"What's going on here?"

"I'm sorry, I was looking for Detective Chandler, she told me track a certain Patrick guy through her phone and she looked like she was into a rush, so.."

"And, did you find him, Sandler's boyfriend? Got any clue of where he might be living?"

"The results didn't gave much. Most calls were made through a paid phone cabin and none of them were conected to that guy, but deputy Yi may have know more about Sandler's guy here.." So all those anonymous calls weren't coming from Patrick? From whom, were they coming from? What if Rui's theory was right? If Catherine had anything to do with that famous Vincent Keller, were the calls coming from him? Did they had any history between the two of them?

That woman was like a person with too many secrets, like she was a curse.

"A few months ago, an 911 call was made back at Lazzar Bar, a certain Patrick Garagoulis was caught to a fight and was arrested for one night, before his cousin could pay his caution out. A simple fight between friends, you know. As I was taking my break, I got that call. And when Tucker tried to trace a certain guy named Patrick with the description that Pitt had told, my curiousity got the best of me..." Deputy Yi had informed the detective that she went to talk with the other deputy who brought in the very famous Patrick and gave her an description.

"So that guy could be the same like the guy you had arrested for one night?"

"Yes, I remember, first shot ever.."Deputy Yi was a young asian woman much more younger than Chandler, she had a long jet black hair tied into a very tight bun as she wore the uniform with dignity by standing straight. Dignity pretty much that reminded him of an certain Zhang Ziyi from _Memoirs of a Geisha_. And she looked far more clean than Tucker here who kinda had the smell of a skunk on him. However, Medina shook his head, adding;

"From what you're saying, you do know this guy, by recognizing him at some picture?"

"A picture? That guy used to have a small record here, before his caution was paid. I'm sure it is still around these files. Tucker?"

"At your service.." He dropped down the papers on the desk and let his fingers searching for the right sheet, like he played an invisible instrument. Medina watched him do his job and got the sheet that he was looking for, Tucker slid down the picture in front of him as he said;

"That must be the guy that Chandler has been trying to find, the mysterious Patrick..Same face, same eyes, same height and weight, you got the profile.."

"Officer Pitt had said to me, that he looked exactly like that, when he came here and asked Chandler for help.."had followed Yi in return, as Medina studied the picture profile and the tracing phone calls from Catherine's phone. Most of them were through paid phones, but only one of them, was made by a phone call through a motel room, around 5:30pm. Motel room? Days Inn. Patrick had called Catherine around that time, through her phone calls. Leaning his back to the chair, Medina checked Patrick's profile as he said this:

"Sent two deputies to the motel Days Inn and ask if a certain Patrick Garagoulis had registered in the place..."

Later on, he called Nguyen demanding that they should consider of getting another warrant, but only if they can catch Patrick and force him to talk about everything, and that includes his little secret girlfriend Yalena Sandler, the fugitive. Something deep down in his mind believed the thing that Patrick was hidding her away, ever since last night at the bar, where she was with Chandler.

...

"Go talk to the girls, Cat, I'll call for back-up.." The interest in person stared at her partner like she had grown two others eyes at the back of her head.

"Back up?"

"Now that we have found a weapon that could lead us to Hermandez's murder, not only Lena is supscious, but all of girls may be. Including that sicky barmaid..I mean everybody could've had done it.."After they finished searching the rooms, both Tess and Catherine reached up the last stairs after they got an important evidence that was found at Lena's place, under Gretchen's bedroom to clear things up. The bar was left alone, now that all custumers, waitresses and strippers had left the place like they had to go through a fire exam call.

"And Alvarez? We'll have to find him, soon or later..." And where was Lena's husband in all this?

"Brad Pitt is invisible to all contacts, but it is true that we must find him and question him about his relationship with Lena, before we can bring her up with charges.."

"And before Vincent finds her..." The thought of him bringing up Lena to exposure was still big in her mind. It was his voice, she recognized it very certain of it. But, she also didn't wanted to believe that it was real enough. With the silver gun in a plastic bag in one hand, she was on her way to talk to the girls that were outside, when Tess's phone had rang. She reaching it out from her coat, Tess checked the ID with a grimace.

"Talking about beasts, there's Medina on the phone.."

"Put him on speaker, I want to hear him.." She stepped back to her partner who put her phone out loud for them to hear the other cop on line. "Hey, you just don't know how to stop, do you?"

 _"I'm happy to hear you too, Tessy, even if it means with your very lousy partner, as well..Turns out I did a little research on your buddy Patrick and the results are not so quite good..."_

"What are you talking, about?"

 _"Did he ever said about a time when he was arrested for a fight and had stayed in jail cell? Before his cousin came over to save his ass, but that was a few months ago..Yup, we ended up finding a file. Police record.."_ The girls stood silent at this. Both Lena and Patrick had been playing behind their backs, by keeping secrets from them. Tess just shook her head as she shoved out a long breath when Catherine was getting tired by all this, like she was about to lose it in any moment. The two of them felt like they were tricked, from the beggining. Who knows, what hey're about to do later? Enough is enough, they'll have to bring Lena and Patrick in. It was over.

"What it has to do with the case? You'd think he has anger issues? A split personality thing going on?" had Tess asked like she was getting bored by now. _"Wouldn't think it's possible. Anyways, the tracing calls didn't gave much as most of them were made by paid cabin phones, but only one of them was made through a motel room. Days Inn building. Looks like Patrick had spent the whole night there.."_ Tucker did a good job.

"You think this is where Lena joined him after your meeting at the bar, last night?" Tess looked up at Cat, who shrugged at that idea.

"It could be possible, I strongly believe, but to had her friend killed by the early morning. I think that Lena wasn't acting alone. A complice, could be true."

"A third person?"

"Well she had a alibi, a few hours before the murder had occured..."

"But that was before, Cat, before she left the bar. We still have no idea of where she might have been, after the killing.."

 _"I've sent two deputies to check the building a few minutes ago, to see if an Patrick Garagoulis had spent the night back there. And if he did, we'll bring him up to the station. I think it's time he has to face a few frighting charges.."_ had followed Medina breaking up ther conversation with a sigh.

"And what else?"

 _"And force him to make him talk about Lena if she had spent the night with him or that she was at the hospital, playing Dr. Giggles.."_

"You said going on Patrick's profile files here, did you find an recent address of where he might have been in?"

 _"Other than the motel? He lived with a few cousins, but never a place on his own. But first, we'll try to track him down at the motel place.."_

Tess hanged up the call and looked up to Cat, for an answer. "Got any ideas, now that Medina might have a lead to track our guy, Lena is in trouble here.."

"We could track down his family here, but I don't think it might work. I doubt his cousins even know where he might be living by now..."

"So?"

"Well, first, we'll have to drop the gun to the station to get it examinated. Find out if it's Lena's or someoneone else's gun. But now, we gonna have to find Patrick and make him talk.."

"What are you gonna do, if Lena turns out to be the killer?"

"Like I said before, we'll have no choice but to arrest her, even if I had tried to stop her from doing it.."had said Cattherine as her face sobbered. If Lena turned out to be the murder, she might have to stop her and hoping that she'll do it without shooting her, just like did with Vincent.

...

When the girls had come in a few thirty minutes later, Santiago Medina was waiting for them to show up at the precinct. The man had changed his clothes wearing an indigo shirt that both of sleeves were troussed up to his elbows and hands into his pockets, revealing hard and marked veins from his strong arms. He had a very mocking smirk on his face as he saw them coming in.

"Oh, look who's here? Big Kitty and Bad Rat, looking wet..." Tess just blow out her tongue like a kid would do to an adult, when she was about to be lectured.

"Back off! Jerk-ass, we have work to do.."

"I hope you don't mind if I ended up stealing your work, you girls are so slow..."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Both of Tess and Cat had suspended their walk looking up at the guy who couldn't to hide his smile from his mocking face, he let out an bomshell..

"The fact that the 'not so guilty' ADA has a crush on your kitty partner and the fact that you may have a surprising guest at the interview room. Number three..." Not so certain of what he was revealing to them both, Cat rushed away from them as fast as she could with the silver gun on her hand. Running upstairs and budged a few workers from her way, she oppened up the door from the investigating room. Where she found an hancuffed black haired guy with too familiar blue eyes, sitting at the table and in front of an very intrigated Nguyen. Patrick. The cops had found him had figured Catherine as his tired eyes fixed her. Did he stated about Lena? Because betrayal was into his features. She felt so sorry for him, but she did warn him about not making any promises.

"We found him at his motel room, the same room from he had phoned you the other night. He hadn't said a word ever since he was caught in by the deputies I've sent in. But he wasn't acting alone here..." Medina's voice had her jumped her out from her thoughts as he silently followed her behind her back. She turned her head back to him, it looked like Medina had more to say;

"What do you mean, he wasn't acting alone? How many deputies have you sent to the motel, _Medina?_ " The male before her sight just chuckled as he mocked her dignity, he was getting on her nerves here. What else was he hidding? "Medina?" He folded his arms to his chest and said, much to her horror.

"I have your friend, Yalena Sandler, in the other room here, this bitch had tried to run away after her boyfriend got himself caught today.."

...

 **Shit, Lena is caught! Did Vincent had betrayed Cat, again? And Medina is not so patient anymore with Cat's many secrets. The next chap is on production, so I need a few supporting love from you beasties, here!**

 **See ya!**


	13. Chapter 13

"OOOh, look what we got here? The dirty and horseless, Catherine Chandler...It's always a pleasure to see you again, mate.." The wet Cat, indeed had walked into the interrogation room where sat an very mocking dark messed haired woman in her blue jogging suit with vexed bloodshot blue eyes. Lena. She looked like she hadn't slept from last night after their meeting. Lack of make-up had exhibited the black spots under her eyes. She was hidding her handcuffing hands under the table as she closlely followed her once friend with her ruthless and coldly eyes as Cat pulled up a chair and sat across from her.

She wished that things wouldn't had gone wrong. So badly. Catherine had warned her last night and now, there was an very angry and merciless Lena leaning on the back of her chair, bringing up her hands on the table. As if she wanted to remind Cat of how she got herself in here.

"Got anything to recite, Detective? Or did you had lost your tongue to the beast?"

"Lena.."

"What are you gonna tell me? Didn't I told you so, Lena? That you would get your ass caught on fire, if you don't listen to my signals?" Cat tried to maintain her head cold as Lena had kept on asking. Playing the whore she used to do as an act before her view was not going to let her get distracted as Lena tested the female cop's limits, but she was handcuffed and filmed by an private camera that was held at the top of the celling. A record that could be used to court, if only, it gets to that point. Not Catherine had agreed to violate a suspect's privacy, but only if things gets bad here. The departement wouldn't and won't use it, against any suspect's rights. However, Lena wasn't worried, she lifted an smirk to her face as she played an act, such like she was trying to seduce someone here;

"Come on, Cat! Break the ice. So, I can make you feel.." But Cat cut her off, before she could go on.

"Last night, I told you that you couldn't do it, on your own. Taking care of your husband.." Using an sensual voice like she was having an orgasm or more like she was playing her around, wasn't helping anything at all. Not so impressed by the act, she reminded Lena of the last night event at the bar, triying to calm down things here.

Dropping her playful attirance down, the short haired brunette just slapped both of hands down on the table and very hard as well.

"He's no husband! Cat! Just a sick hearted bastard! A monster of his very own!" Still, Cat tried to not look distracted here by Lena's behavior. She used to face much more heavy and bad attitudes from prisoners ever since she land her feet to the station. "Can't I just ask you this; Where were you last night? I mean after you've left the bar?"

"I went home.."

"And where's home?" Lena just blinked as she was being accused of being capable of comitting a murder. She scoffed as an answer right back.

"You mean, other than the strip club? Patrick's. I didn't wanted you to track me to whenever I was going to.."

"This is where, you're wrong here..."It was Catherine's turn lean over, putting both of her hands on the table, staring at the woman sitting across from her. "We ended up finding a gun, under Gretchen's bed and since the two of you switched names, you've switched bedrooms, so must of your stuff were there..." Lena just stood silent at this, refusing any emotions coming up to her features. She didn't wanted to give the cop the pleasure of any of this mascarade as Catherine waited. "You've heard that Gretchen was found dead, this very early morning, Lena?" Dropping her hands on her knees, the short haired brunette shifted her eyes away from Catherine's view. This woman still didn't wanted to make things easy, like at all. "That gun could possibly have your DNA in it. Your fingerprints could lead you into very accusation charges. Lena, if you're involved in this murder, you have to say something.." _At least, try to defend yourself, before it's too late._ She almost had added back to the very hidding woman, who still refused to gaze up at her. Tess must have had the gun examinated by now to check if it had anything to do with Gretchen's death. If not, Lena may walk out safe, but if the gun turns out to have her fingerprints, she might be screwed. Tanaka is still not done with the autopsy and even if the victim was sauvagely attacked, other missing clues may come out, as well. Like who bought the gun and what kind of mark was it? A snipper? A S&W Model 29? A glock? Was it loaded? Cat did felt it. Quite heavier when she lifted the pistol up with her hands. A little too much heavy.

And she missed her phone, as well.

"Have you known, that the CSU team had found two bodies, today? I have a feeling, that they both worked at the same bar.."At that point, Lena turned her head back at her, as she was stunned or didn't know any of this. Cat had got her attention here, getting somewhere with this.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because your boyfriend told me that two girls wanted to take two weeks off...And somehow it just holds on its theory.." Lena just rolled up her eyes, trying hold back a laugh from her lungs.

"Sometimes, I kinda wished that Patrick could had hold his mouth shut. Just shut.." And besides it was your idea to switch names with that girl, and look what it got you into? Thought the female cop who tried to defend Patrick who was being questionned at the other room. The guy-

"He was just trying to protect you, Lena. A lot to give up in order to save you, from doing the unrepairable thing-"

"Unrepairable? You mean like losing my sanity? Just because I wanted Oliver to be far away from my daughter and I? You think I'm capable of killing somebody, like murdering someone? What do you know about? Kitty Cat?" Kitty Cat just leaned her back on the chair raising both hands up as she tried to defend herself, trying to mock the stripper girl back.

"You know, what? You were wrong, last night. And you know about what? About sacrifices. I do know, a lot about sacrifices and it's because I made a lot of it and experienced them from before. And most of the reasons were for personal reasons.." A lot to give up for Vincent, true and paid the price for it. Lena wasn't so sure if she should had laugh or take that answer, seriously enough to believe in Catherine. "Like what? Like you bowed down to him and kissed his feet, proclamating him as a king? Were you stupid enough, to love such a monster like you know who?"

"That's not the point here! We're talking about you and Patrick! It could end up pretty bad for the both of you here-"But to her surprise, Lena had started to laugh at her face.

"Did you enjoyed it? Giving that jerk all these stupid feelings in order to be rejected, later on. Did you felt trapped in there, Kitty Cat?"However it was Lena's turn to ignore the question as she kept to interrupt the conversation like she was having the hell of a good time, making fun of her.

Always trying to get people by their feelings, right?

"When was the last time, you've seen Gretchen, Lena?"had asked Catherine nicely, once again.

"Naughty. Bitchy, Kitty Cat-"But she was cut off by an very and loud BAAM sound marked on the table. The cop almost had snapped here. "Damn it! Answer, the damn question! Sandler!" It was Cat's turn to raise up her voice angrily, as she was the one who was starting to lose patience here as it shut off Lena in a second, completely stunned.

"Two days ago.."

"Before Patrick came over here? And I mean, on its very own..?" Catherine stood up from her seat, made a few steps before she sat on the arm of the table, right before the woman's sight. Lena shoved out a breath from her mouth and answered as she was being watched by the detective's eye.

"At morning, her side was killing her so badly, but she also felt that someone was watching her. That somebody had known our cover. She and I were talking on the phone, I was hidding inside of my car waiting for Oliver to come out, but Gretchen was freaking out, so.."

"Oliver never came out? You mean.." What if Oliver had come out and Lena had missed the scene? Expecially, when Gretchen had called her up.

"I was waiting for him to come out from the hospital in any second, but Gretchen called me up, saying that someone was watching us both in a very closely eye..She was afraid that our cover would have blown up if someone suspected us. With the switching names part...I assured her saying that nobody had noticed the difference between us and that there's no way in hell, that someone knew.."

"Did you slept in your car, trying to get into him?"

"I wouldn't go that far, Detective, but there were nights where I would had ended to follow him, but you can't blame hospital's security guards.." From her words, it sounded that the woman who pretented to be someone she wasn't, may had spended or stalked her abusive husband from a far, but that wasn't anything new to Catherine's ears. Time to bring the dirty news out. And that date at the bar came along.

"Did Lina had come up to your mind? I mean, with the history that she and Oliver had together? You think she has something to do with it?" The thing that Lina may have been involved into this, might be real. If the ex-prostitute had a past with Oliver and Lena, she may would need to know her alibi.

"Not that I know. Ever since she got diagnosed with her illiness, she pushed every guy away. After I went to the run, I don't know for sure if they kept in touch or not..Why?"

"Let's just say that the fact that she knew a lot about Gretchen, but not so much about you, leaves me weird..But with the switching name thing here and Lina, only if she got herself involved into the crime. Maybe she may know something that both you and Patrick don't.." Lena just laughed at that answer, as Cat followed with this;

"You're really sure, you've spent the night with Patrick?"

"You mean other than to kill Gretchen? Duh! Yes, I was with him. You can check my dress from last night, it's still there, by now.."

"It's not that I don't want to believe you, Lena, but if the fingerprints on the gun turns out to be yours, you won't go out of here that easily..Expecially when someone tried to have you identified.."

"Meaning?"

"That someone had reported that there was a escort girl walking around the hospital, a few hours before Hermandez's death...Both my captain and Detective Medina had heard it. Myself included." Catherine left the important detail that a guy named Vincent Keller was the one who made that call, at Ward's desk. It still was hard to believe that he would ever do that. At this, the short darked haired woman had found the courage to grin, even after she heard all of Cat's warnings in here.

"And that person thought it was me? That's just funny, Cat, funny to my ears. Like I said I went home, right after our so-called meeting..."

"What if you went to somewhere else's place and finished off Gretchen, with that gun?" Angry blue eyes were glaring her back, at this. "You've could had changed your mind and finished her off. Hide the gun under her bed and ran away to your savior's arms, telling him that it had to be done. Making the cops believe that it was a suicide as if Gretchen couldn't live with the secret no more..A story like that could be predectable to anybody, but not to me. A part of me still believes that you're not the suspect here, but that someone is trying to make you look like one.." Catherine stopped as she folded up her arms against her chest as she looked down at Lena with a frown, trying to look calm as possible. "But if the results comes out and said that my fears for you are true, Lena. Then, there's no way out.." The brown haired woman just shook her head at this, hoping to not lose her self control when Catherine asked this.

"Lena, where's your daughter?" A question that could break her heart to pieces. Icy blue eyes glared up at her question, as she just got spooked.

"I already told you, of what I know. As for the rest, I might need a lawyer. If you keep accusing me of being capable of committing a murder.." Dang that could hours to make her speak and Catherine didn't had time for hours, she wanted answers and right now.

"I didn't said that you were the one who killed Hermandez, but the police's work may find something, we don't except to find..So, for the last time, I ask. Where did you hide your daughter?" Lena just smirked at that question, as she bounced her shoulders like she was feeling hot in the place. They were back from the beginning now..Feeling that she wasn't gonna say anything more than she knows. Lena ignored that question about where Ángela was hidding at the moment. Over my dead body. Bitch. Her mocking features had said everything.

"I feel so hot in here, don't you mind on opening up a window? Or helping me by getting rid of my clothes, here?" She shook both of her hands that were tied together, under the table too much for Catherine's patience as she sighed at this sign;

"Lena-"However the woman started to bounce her hips by the left to the right, as if she was staring to dance, sitting on that chair for a paid chair show. She licked up her lips with her tongue like she was about to get wet here. And right before Cat's eye.

"Sexy, sexy, sexy. Naughty, naughty, naughty. Bitchy, bitchy, bitchy, Cathyyy..Kitty girl. Bad, sexy, naughty and bitchy Cathyy..She likes to play the sexy, naughty and bitchy..Catherine Chandler. The Cowardly and helpless girly.."She sung more like slurred the words like a drunk lady in action as the detective went out from the interrogation room, feeling she was going nowhere with this. Cat growled in defeat as she walked off. Damn, she could hear Lena laughing back, as she closed up the door behind. Lena may had said a few important things about Lina, but when it came about asking where her daughter was hidding, she would change the subject, right away. She loves her daughter so much that she would move earth and heaven both together, even getting herself killed or captured by the cops. Keeping her away from Oliver's sight and from New York's dangerous world. Catherine felt exhausted as she came out and approached deputy Yi to come over with a hand sign.

"Yes, Detective Chandler?" Cat looked up at the young deputy as she pointed the door behind her back.

"Take Sandler to her cell and let her stay there for at least an twenty four hours, no more, until we get the results from the lab..But if we don't get them.." Tests like those could take hours or even days, but the technology of today is quite advanced, no?

"Did she asked for a lawyer?"

"She did, but let's wait for the results to come out and then, she may decide to worry about getting a lawyer or not.."The feeling that Vincent could had exposed Lena, admitting through a phone call that he may or may not seen a woman walking around the hospital, like a whore would have. It was eating her gut and she didn't liked that feeling, at all. She needed to make sure that it wasn't him, but what if it was him? Why, would he commit such a betrayal like this?

 _I won't like it, but I'll have to talk with Vincent.._

"What about the guy, in the other interrogation room? Should we cuff him in jail, as well?"

"No, you can let him go. He may had hidden the suspect into his place, but I don't believe he's the bad guy here. But just tell him to not leave the country until this case is over. We may never know if he's involved or not..I don't care about Detective Medina's reaction, you can let that guy Patrick go home.."

"Alright, ma'am.." And as she was about to leave, a lost thought came through her mind. Her damn phone. Cat stopped her move and followed by changing the subject.

"And about my phone? I might need it by now.." Dang, she almost had forgot about her phone, remembered that she had dropped into Tucker's hands, before.

"Tucker is still doing some research-"

"Well, I'll save him all that mess. I think he did a good job for tracking Patrick, but I think he has seen enough now.." had cut off Catherine as the young cop had penetrated into the room, without a word. She rubbed her face feeling her cheeks a little bruised than she realized these burning spots had gotten to become. She grimaced at the touch, not in pain but annoyed by that side effect. If her mother was alive today, Catherine would had spat on her for giving that part of her genes. The faster she'll get her phone from Tucker,the less secrets he'd know, the better would be. And then, she'll handle Vincent with the truth on her own, make him speak if he really had done it or not.

Wait, handle him on her own? Meaning like trying to make him go mad? Was she turning to look like Lena had wanted to handle things with Oliver. As she was left alone with her thoughts, she felt something wet on her face. Confused, she rubbed her burning cheek with her fingers to find some saliva on it.

Cat looked up to find a very mocking and laughing Lena with both hands behind her back, being restrainted by an tiny but strong debuty Yi, who was trying to hold her from doing any harm to the personal staff here. That bitch had spit at her face. When Yi kept pushing her on walking, Lena had proceeded on her words with the most crazy and lunatic blue eyes that Catherine wouldn't be ready to forget anytime soon. Stunned, she heard Lena's words like they had come out from a snake's mouth.

"Sexy, naughty and bitchy Cathy.."

Those words that had put her spine on a very unforgettable fear.

...

After a quite and silent ride from Gabe's silver car, Tori bursted out from the passenger's seat and slammed the door, very frustrated and tried to walk away as fast as she could with her high heels. But without any beast strength, her ankles might lose up their balance and fall. The rain may had melt the snow, but not cold ice under their footsteps. After he managed to stop the engine, in front of the police departement, Gabe tried to catch up the red haired woman behind. What happened at the Rikers prison, he was worried about Tori's new attitude and maybe _new power._ If it may be possible...From his sight's view. Despite the heavy and loud rain, he managed to stop her, as he reached her height. Avoiding any contact, this time. He raised up his voice loud enough against the storming wind.

"Are you out of your mind? Just what the hell were you thinking? Tori, grabbing up an prisoner's hand?" She whirled around making her long and wavy hair turn around as the wild rain was slapping her face. Hidding her angry features, but frustrating tears threatening to rush out.

"Oh, you mean, the man who tried to kill me, not once, but twice?"

"Reynolds didn't send anyone to kill you, at the dunjeon! He was behind bars during the time when J.T got kidnapped.." She snapped this time, cutting him off guard.

"He's lying! That guy had tried to kill you once before as he did to your ex-girlfriend! And you're thinking about leaving him alone? When he's all being treated like royalty, at prison?" Stunned, Gabe wasn't expecting that to come out from her mouth. He knew about Reynolds admitting about the murders that he's been doing behind the FBI departement, but killing Tyler? The last time he had heard of her it was when Vincent threatened him that he was going to kill her and he ended up finding her dead on that table, six or seven months later. He had no freaking idea about this.

"What do you mean, by he ended up killing her?"

"Because I've _seen_ him doing it!" Stunned, Gabe thought he was seeing seven or eight arms coming out of her, when he heard this. What the hell was going on with Tori? Was she losing her mind, by saying that she'd seen Catherine's father killing Tyler in cold blood? Was this possible.. Knowing how bad, words went out from her, Tori's mouth formed an small hole as if she was also surprised as well.

"You..What?" Ouch, she said too much now. Secret got out and now, she would have to admit, that she was _seeing_ things and mostly from the person's past. She managed to explain. Anger had vanished from her expression as she declared this out, like she got caught with her words.

"Gabe, what I've meant is..That, ever since I got discharged from the hospital or more when I've woked up..I..I..I.."

"Just spit it out! What did you do to Reynolds?" The black haired man was getting impatient here as she tried to explain the secret that she's been holding on for days. Distraughted as she sounded like, pulling back her wet hair from her face.

"Nothing! I just saw a lot of things that I've shouldn't have or had seen! I've seen her. That Tyler girl, crying in bed when you slept at her side. Scars everywhere imprinted on her body. Her walking out from a yellow cab only to get shot by Reynolds, like several times at her stomach.." He just shook his head, trying to not look so convinced hoping that whatever Tori had said was just a lie. But she looked determinated as she recalled of what she had seen in him and Reynolds.

"Tori, that's just insane..You have to be wrong here.." He just didn't want to believe it. Not once in his life he had seen Tyler shed a tear. As a beast, he didn't know of whatever he was doing once he was transformed. How much damage he had done, but Tyler was never worried or intimidated around him like she was sure enough that he would never hurt her. But how to explain this? Taking Tori's word was like that his dead girlfriend had lied everything to him. But could it be true? "I've seen it. I had seen her crying away from you, when you touched my shoulder, Gabe. And I've seen a lot coming from you..."Her voice had woken him up from his thoughts as he was standing in front of her and at that rain. Horrible and wild rain. But all this was just too much to handle at once. was she losing up her damn mind now?

Oh my God, what if she ended up seeing something like how he had attacked both Catherine and Vincent? Would she start to see him like the monster he used to be? With a big breath, he reached his wallet from the back of his pants and took out a few bucks, his hands were shaking as Tori watched him do. Worried. This is crazy. Did he thought of as an crazy person, now?

"Gabe, I.."

"Go home, Tori and change clothes, you cannot stand the rain..."He didn't know what to think more of her, anymore.

"I can explain-"

"I believe, I've heard enough here. You, trying to track down Vincent, even with the threatening feeling I gived you. You, disappearing last night and where I did I found you? Hitting back on Reynolds, demanding him answers about your father and Murfield.."Before she could say anything else,he shoved the bills on her palms with force than expected that could hurt her as she looked up at him, worried that another flash would come..

Which it did...And a quite speeding vision went through her sight...

An very animal and _beastly_ image of the very same man standing before her eyes, was at the bathroom, standing up as he looked up at the mirror with both hands on the edge of the washing sink. Angry like a monster. But what shocked Tori was that the eyes staring back at him weren't the usual brownish ones she was looking at, but yellow ones. But Gabe broke the contact, before she could see what was going to happen as he stared at her hard. "Gabe.."

"I bet you ended up seeing something else through me, right? Well, let me tell you something, Tori, nobody would ever believe you. You can ask, Catherine, to be sure. Trust me.." And with that, he left her, alone in the heavy and pouring rain, as she watched him walking into the steps of the 125th Departement police. Shocked and alone.

...

"Usually, it's the parents's job to come over and identify their child's identity, even if she or he's dead on that sterile table.."

"Just tell me..."

"And cost my job, Keller? You're not a cop and you can't have access to these dead bodies!"

"Remember, I used to be an ER doctor in the past, Ash, but I also had studied the anatomy of the human body when it came to death illiness or poisoned, so I thought-"

"You used to play dirty with Alex, once. I remember that, because the two of you were coming back to your dorm, the one you used to share with J.T. Both of you were so drunk and topeless, expecially you, Big Guy.." Vincent just raised up his eyebrows at this point as he looked up at the doc, as if the guy was joking. He agreed to come to the police departement after hearing what J.T had kept from him, since last night. His best friend had tried to explain to him that Catherine might be under investigation from a certain Det. Santiago Medina, who not only was here to stop Gabe but was also trying to clear a cold case, that a certain FBI Agent had failed to achieve. And not only Cat or Gabe would be the busted one here, but he could be one as well.

More of that third person who did not denounced Detective Chandler after she arrested her father. _Because she shot me, in order to save me from falling back down, and why for? Because I was starving for justice...But not in the right way of justice.._ He made that mess and didn't had the guts to denounce her.

And why? Because he loves her.

He has to warn Catherine about Medina's true intentions, before she ends up in any more of risking of losing up her badge from covering him up. And Gabe as well, even if he doesn't like the guy.

He heard from the people on the street that Yalena Sandler, Catherine's old schoolmate's might be the one who killed that girl. Gretchen Hermandez was found dead this early morning. Mostly she was attacked and her organs were most snatched out from her body, as they said. However after hearing that two other bodies were found and buried underground, under strange meanings and poisoned arccording to Ash who was standing here staring down at one of the dead bodies. The one with the dark hair. It was quite supscious and none of them had any sign of struggle. However, Vincent didn't believed the poison theory until he had peneatrated into the M.E's office with the body lying in front of them. He was sure that he had smelled some kind of poison in the smell that went through his nostrils. It was bad enough to not throw up, and strong to kill a normal human being, if it ever was meant to kill that woman.

Correction here; Not strong enough for humans to detect it, but for a beast like him, like it meant to kill him, directely. He was sure as ever that Ash's theory was right about the poisoning. He couldn't help it but the scent was quite too much for him to bear. He shook his head attempting to not fall for it. Vincent stared down at the body as Ash was making the presentations.

Did Ash smelled the poison too? Or was he the only one here?

"Meet Alicia Wang. Alicia, this is Vincent Ryan Keller.." The ex-soldier just looked up at Ash, with his eyebrows narrowed in confusion. Did Ash just introduced him to that girl as if she was just alive and sleeping? That guy's gone nuts...

"Ash, I'm not looking for a girlfriend to date. Especially a dead one.."He pointed the darked haired and pale faced girl that smelled death and much more.

"Just trying to be respectful to the dead, man. Nothing wrong here.." Vincent waved up his hand, trying to change the story as he rolled up his eyes.

"When you're gonna have the test results done? If you're thinking that both of women were poisoned?"

"In a few days, I believe. I only foccused on this one here. The other one Helga is still on my mind to do. Arccoding to the bardmaid Lina, both Alicia and Helga took a few days off, but never shown up.."

"Never shown up? They weren't declared as missing persons, you mean?" That was just weird. Why nobody had the guts to report them missing?

"Dunno, it's the cop's job, not mine. Cops interrogated Lina and they told me that two girls ended missing, but it did not seemed important to declare as prostitutes often disappear on their own.." The guy in the white coat, looked up from the body to Vincent who was trying not to throw up as he scented something bad through the air. "You need a bag, man? Looks like you're about to throw up, here.."

"I'm fine...I guess it's just the grilled sandwich I ate, this morning..Did not went good, that's all.." He shook his head blinking up twice or thrice, trying to look under control here. God, he'd never so felt sick than before, but still he needed to know. "Did you find anything else, with her?" He nodded his head as he gestured the body lying on the table under the sheet, leaving the head and shoulders exposed. Ash didn't looked much convinced as he kept on;

Like I said, I'm still waiting for both blood and toxicology tests to come out, but.."

"But?"

"And like you're not a cop, I cannot reveal anything, because it might cost my job and so.."

"Ash, it's not gonna come out of this place. And as I said I used to be a doctor and been studying the dead bodies as well. You can trust me with whatever you have to say.."

"Yeah, the trusting thing for me is an issue and still is, I'm worried about.." Turning his head back and looked over Vincent's shoulder, making sure that nobody was peeking or listening to them. "Just make sure the door is locked and I don't care if you're a kinda of celebrity over here, I still think I'm making a mistake by doing this.."

"Ash.."

"Just do it, dumbass.." Vincent didn't quite liked the tone that Ash had used for him to answer, but as he heard the guy's heartbeat racing nervously, he could say the item was more bad than he excepted to be. He turned to look over his shoulder, making that nobody was watching them, but when he looked back, Ash gestured him to come besides him. "Come up and look.." He did as he told, as he went to the guy in the white coat's left side, staring down at the...Wait.. Alicia's right arm and leg were covered with purple echymoses?

"You think she was beaten to death?" From all his years as an working ER doctor, Vincent remembered treating beaten persons, but had never seen ecchymoses that looked out from nowhere. Shocked but more stupefied, his widened eyes followed Alicia's body that was half exposed. The bruised part.

"I woudn't be so sure about that. Like I believe to see here, there were no strangle around, no rape or penetrating, but I'd learn more about the tests results to see if she has any sign of rape or so whatever. Time of death, might had been two days or not. I'd go for the poisoning thing.."

"Poison thing? What about asphyxia? I mean nobody would had survived a day or two about being buried underground with no air, at all."

"Then, explain the blood coming out from her mouth? As I played with her, I found saliva stuck through her throat, blocking the air out. That could had been a sign of chocking for air. But there's no sign of abuse at all, no marking hands on her neck. Nada. Nothing, Keller!" Vincent turned his head back to the lab guy, folding his arms against him as he added.

"She could had been epileptic?" Ash just rolled up his eyes, as he growled frustruated of not being believed.

"Yeah, right. Epileptic persons also have purple ecchymoses after having an attack! What a joke! Until I have the results, I'd stay still with the poison thing, or else I wouldn't had found any organ that gone black here.." That changed the situation here, Vincent stopped the guy at that point as he pointed the lying body before them, getting more confused than it seemed to be.

"Hang on a minute here, did you just said that her organs had gone black here? I mean all of them?" Ash jerked up a jumping movement as he had some kind of trouble with hiccups. Spooked, he waved this off on him.

"See, what you made me do, Keller? A talking wussy guy!" Something was very wrong here. Vincent no longer considered the case as an abuse but more of what Ash was describing the case. Alicia may had been poisoned for real, and Helga might had followed the same path too. "I checked up with the organs and most of them were in a very ugly state.."

"How bad, exactly?"

"Bad enough like she had cancer, or more like they were burned and not very recomanded if you're indeed for a transplant. Better die faster than to have one of them inside of you.."

"What about a disorder, like MODS? That must explain the burnings and the failed organs you mentionned here.."

"If we're talking about MODS, Alicia would had been in much more horrible state than this, like she could have been burned alive..But, I'd bet twenty bucks that she was poisoned, Big Guy.." If it wasn't MODS the cause of death, then what else? Arccording to his friend, Alicia's organs looked like they burned or more turned into black, blueish or purpleish ecchymoses were on her arm, leg and most everywhere, probably by now. Vincent looked up at the dead woman's pale face, as he couldn't help but feel bad for her to had lived and to had died in such atrocious ways, that he couldn't ever imagine to have happen. If Ash's theory about the poison was correct, then how did she contract it? She and Helga, how did they got it? How fast did it finished them off? And why did were they hidden underground, for what reason? Unless...

"Ash, how long does it takes for an poison to spread, anyways?"

"Depends how much fast it can lead. It was fast enough to kill Alicia here. But if you're asking my opinion here, I'd say it might kill you even before you notice the symptoms.."

Ash would have to wait before he made an autopsy report on Alicia, as he wanted to do his work on Helga as well. The other covered body right behind Vincent's back was also waiting to be examinated soon. But Ash really believed about the poison thing here and Vincent had agreed with him as well. The smell was just too strong for him to bear, but how come the doctor next to him couldn't scent it as he did ever since he first stepped here?

Maybe because he had the nose of a monster inside of him, trapped into his messed up DNA...Wait. Hold on. Vincent stopped to think for a second as he blinked his eyelids for a few times until he could adjust the very last thing he could ever have had imagine to happen for both of girls over here. _Oh no.._

"What's wrong, bud?" But Vincent ignored Ash as he stood there, staring down at Alicia's body in shock.

What if both Alicia and Helga had been turned into beasts? The two of them together?

...

 _"Sexy, sexy, sexy. Naughty, naughty, naughty. Bitchy, bitchy, bitchy, Cathyyy.."_ Lena's words were still haunting Catherine as she opened up her locker to put her gym bag inside as Tess walked into the place.

"Looking great as ever in a uniform, right Cat?" The petite brunette just frowned at her partner's grin face as she shoved her gym bag into her locker and closed up the door with brutality. "Better than to be called 'The drenchy kitty Cat' here" She put up an hand to hold the door from open up again and looked up at Tess. "But it's way better than to catch up a very vicious pneunomia virus here.." Leaning her left shoulder to the locker next to Cat's, Tess's grin vanished as she had kinda guessed that things between the two girls didn't worked out, that well.

"I think that reunion did not went up so good, no? Lena put you off.."

"You got that, right.."

"And you sent her to jail? Just like that.."

"For the meantime, I did that, but only for twenty hours and besides; by keeping her here, we'll know for sure that she won't do any damage to anybody here. So, what I'm trying to explain here, Tess, is that by keeping a close eye on Lena.."

"You'll make sure that once she stays locked up, things would go better? Come on, Cat..What would happen if she turns out to be a merciful killer? Or that she has anything to do with Gretchen?"

"I don't believe she's a killer, but her alibi is not a good one here, Tess and that's what I'm worried about.." She wasn't going to mention that Lena spat on her reddened cheek, it was quite embarassing though.

"You mean Vincent or Patrick?" Catherine had kicked her locker with her boot as she wanted to unleash the anger out. The door stopped from moving as Tess eyed her, suspisciously at her.

"Arccording to Medina, he told me that she stayed the night at Patrick's place..But Vincent said he had seen a woman like her walking around the hospital, just a few hours before the murder.."

"So you believe Vincent's point over Lena's?"

"I'm not saying that! I'm just saying that after I left the bar, he was still back at there and-"

"After a few drinks, he may had admitted a few things out?" Cat just shook up her head as she stared down at the floor, trying to remain calm. After Lena was taken to her cell, she went up to the evidence room to get her phone from Tucker after he did all the researching work for her. Went to the gym and stripped herself into the showers right after that. And since she had no other clothes left to change, she opted for her old police blue uniform. The last thing she wanted is to have a cold and admitting that Vincent may have been the one who framed Lena. Or that Lena may be the Gretchen's killer. She didn't wanted to believe any of that.

"Look, Cat, I didn't mean to stress you out with that, but soon or later the truth might come out.."

"Any news about the gun?" had asked Cat as she raised up her head back at her partner who followed with this;

"Two deputies went to the Flyers shop, to identify the gun and the guy that owns the shop had told them that he did remember a dark haired woman with blue eyes buy an S&W Model 29..But that's not all of it.."

"What? What do you mean?" Tess tried to explain the situation as Cat was tying her drenching hair into a tight bun.

"Tanaka had sent me an e-mail concerning Gretchen's autopsy report, after I had the gun examinated. I came back to my desk, checking up my e-mails and that's when I saw it.."

"Well, what did it said?"

"A bullet was drown down into Gretchen's throat, but as a cover up. It was the claws of an certain beast that killed her in one shot.."

"A bullet was found down on her throat, as a cover up? Did she matched up the bullet with the gun, yet?"

"Not yet, Cat, but-"

"So it could be anybody. Anybody's gun, Tess. We still need to have the gun's results to come out, but until now, Lena is not the first target on our list of suspects here.." had cut off Cat as she was walking away from her partner who followed her from behind. "Look, it's not that I don't want to be the bad guy here and I do know you're trying to help your friend here. But we're talking about an S&W Model 29 and if the bullet turns out to be an 44 Remington Magnum cartridge and with her fingerprints as a match to the gun, she could ended up onto Rikers for a very longtime.."

"Until we get the results, for her fingerprints and if the bullet had come from that gun, there is no question of arresting anyone here.."had added the petite brunette in uniform as they made their way to the prenict where the usual routine was the same as usual never ending phone calls, thieves- "Catherine! Tess! Wait up!" And an certain and annoying Gabe Lowan running behind her back.

"Gabe, I have work to do.." She frowned as she went up to her desk, pulling up her chair sat as she opened up her computer, log in her password and went through her searching windows. She wasn't ready to face Gabe not right now, whatever he killed Tyler or not, she, just wasn't ready to face him. Things got way out of control here, not only her relationship with Vincent and Tori, but with Lena and Gretchen here. She has to get access to her e-mails and fast..

"It's important.-"

"I'm sure it is.."

"It's about Tori-"

"You can handle her without any help from me.."

"That's the thing, I can't do it! She's far too gone-"

"Then tie her up to a chair and gag her up, as well. That's what I should've had done in the first place with her..And with you as well.." At her words, Tess seemed impressed by the choice of her words that were quite a little too cold toward the guy. He may be an ass, but didn't deserved to be treated that way, for no reason. Gabe tried to talk her up again.

"Catherine-"She snapped her desk with a loud sound as she stood up to his height with burning eyes in anger. The ADA's assistant steped a few steps back, blinking once at her surprising behavior, stunned but calm.

"Now, what? Don't you see I have work to do here? If you can't handle Tori anymore, because she's too dangerous to handle, jail her up, if she's that crazy here to control!"

"Cat, are you sure, you're okay?"

"Great! Just great...You need anything else, Gabe?" When the man shook his head, Cat went back to her computer waiting for it's connection to click in. Looking both astonished, Gabe, who hadn't stopped looking up from a very pertubated Cat, whispered to Tess, who gulped at his answer. "What's going on, with Catherine?"

"One word: Lena.." She stared at her friend, who was not quite the patient one here.

"Come on, be more faster, you idiot!" had cursed the female cop as she slapped her computer hoping the connection would come up as the passoword had finally got in. With curious eyes, she went up to her e-mail history and spotted an anymous e-mail first on the list. Tanaka had just sent her an e-mail concerning Gretchen's autopsy results. Cat clicked in and the whole report was appearing up to her eyes. But what she saw was just shocking to see and read.

"Oh my God.."

Tanaka did her work like it was any other work, however she wrote down that Gretchen had succumbed to laccerations and very deep cuts that could had been made by an wild animal. The bullet who was stuck through her throat was only a way to cover up, but smart as Catherine thought the pathologist was, it was no clue of another way around. Despite that Gretchen Hermandez looked healthy and that means no evidence of rape or MTS was found, but organs were snatched from her body. Cause of death was by endless blood loss and laceration and wrenching of her organs. _Caused by a certain beast..._ She held back that thought as she kept on reading the autopsy report.

Deep cuts of an wild animal, not by a bullet. Pictures were also in the file that was sent by Tanaka, but Cat didn't needed to see them, it was too obvious that Gretchen was killed by an beast. And that meant three words. _Tori and Vincent.._ Both Tess and Gabe watched her standing up from her seat, still spooked by how calm and quite in fury she looked like. About to snap was the exact answer. It was enough. That guy just won't stop himself from having too much fun..

"Cat..?"

"That's it..I'm gonna kill him.." Boy that woman looked like she was ready to snap in any minute. First Lena's threat and now this.. Blind anger could lead into destruction.

"How about the wussy bitch?"

"I'll kill her and eat her up like a wrapped and grilled chicken.." Tess's eyes had widened in shock, at that. The partner she always had known was always calm to whatever situation she once had faced before, but that was out of control now..That was pure revenge scent up here.

"Cat, calm down-" But her partner had sut her off, turning her head at her with angry eyes and when Catherine Chandler was angry, it was bad enough to sent the world into a explosion.

"Don't tell me to calm down here...I'll find Vincent, and if he doesn't want to admit that he killed Gretchen for desert, I'll cut his throat, for sure!"

"Cut my throat, for what?" A familiar voice that she knew far too much had just walked in, right behind her. Shocked, but with anger marked her features, she whirled around to find the last person she wanted to see, now that he might have been the last person to had seen Lena, before the murder had occured.

A quite and pale Vincent had walked in time to hear her saying that she might want to _kill_ him.

...

"That's it..I'm gonna kill him.." That spooked him out from the covered and lying dead body in front of him. Vincent swore he had heard Catherine's voice from a far and sensed anger through it. He had a bad feeling, other than the horrible smell coming from Alicia's body and probably from Helga too. Something might have happen here.

"Thanks Tanaka, for doing the health check-up on Stevenson..And I'll bring you that stupid beverage of yours, as a trophy..." had followed Ash as he rolled up his eyes, but stopped his movement when he spotted Vincent whose staring was watching something held an hand to his phone. "Still, sick, bud?" And without an answer, he watched his collegue opening up the door and barged out of the place like the devil was chasing him off. "Uhh, I'll call you back, Tanaka.."He hung up and followed the guy right behind him. "Vincent, wait up!" But the guy didn't waited for him to slow down.

Despite how pale and disgusted he felt when he stared at the dead body, Vincent managed to hear the last words that slipped out from an very frustrated Cat, who hadn't the clue that he was watching and listening from behind her back. And did he ever heard her heart racing up and quite faster than he ever did?

", I'll cut his throat, for sure!" He put his hands into his grey coat as he cut her off in surprise.

"Cut my throat, for what?" A small and surprising gasping sound came out from her lips at his voice that sounded quite and dangerously calm, than he had excepcted. He saw her turning her head around to find the person who'd she been talking about. But all he had seen was her angry hazel and piercing eyes. He remembered the few times that Catherine had gone angry, but this time it was different. It looked like she accused him of a crime that he might had comitted that he didn't had the most of clue. "Catherine?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Vincent.."

"What the hell?, You're doing here?" Just before he forgot, both Gabe and Tess were here as well and boy Gabe looked like he had a bad time through the rain, just to look at his clothes. Tori must had given him a hard time. But it wasn't that, that mattered to him at the moment. It was Catherine's stare that worried him, now. She fixed him, hard.

"I said, what are you doing here?" Quite calm, through even with the anger still wanting to come out and before he could say something back, Ash had managed to catch him as he defended him behind. "He had the thought of a way to change his ways about treating the living people to the dead ones, but I don't think he has the stomach to do it, so.."He let it out as he pointed him with his thumb as an lame excuse. _Nice choice of words, Ash.._

"So, you know about the two bodies, that the cops had found this morning? Buried underground?"

"Cat-"

"Or how about the Hermandez case, the one that was feed for desert?" Vincent narrowed his eyebrows in confusion. What did she referred him about? Was he supposed to be reminded of something he had done, back at the past? Sensing his silence at this question, Catherine stepped back from her desk as she gestured the file that Ash's partner had sent to her. "Okay, if you don't want to talk about it, than have a look for yourself.."His eyes followed her move as much as he was suspecting her, even if he wasn't. Her heartbeat was rushing in haste."Oh and before I forgot this, there's also pictures in it, in case you don't remember.." Being sarcastic? He kept looking up at her. Why was she looking back at him? Like he was the one being accused here.

"Remember what?" Ash's voice sounded so far away as Vincent took a peak through the pictures at the screen. Pictures of an very and butchered Gretchen Hermandez. Dead. He felt sick to just look up at them. There were claws of an very angry beast that his or her nails were marked on everywhere, while she was led uncounscious through the hands of her doctor. Blood all over, open and wounds that explained that her organs were out or snatched out. Oh my God... Gretchen suffered the martyrdom and the most horrified death. Vincent shook his head as he looked back at Catherine, horrified from what he just had seen now, and couldn't hide the expression, from his features. He couldn't believe that she had the idea of him being capable of comitting a murder. He did it before in hidding, but only because he had no choice and he'd been brainwashed and almost had paid the price of it, because of an certain ex-FBI Agent..

But Gretchen? He couldn't have done this! That's for sure...Everybody in the room waited for him to answer as Catherine, in blue uniform with her arms crossed against herself, waited for him to answer, but he couldn't give her answer when he didn't have one in mind. His eyes were trying to justify her that he hadn't known or even never had done this.

"Coming from your silencing answer, I am not impressed here.." She managed to choose her words with precaution here, being with the rest of the people here. Including the people who don't know about cross speecies DNA that turned out wrong..

"Cat, you really wanna do this now?" Tess wasn't so sure if it was a good idea to start a fight here, in front of strangers.

"What makes you think I have something to do with it?" Vincent had finally said a few words out, but he couldn't step the suspecious feeling out of his voice. She made a few steps towards him, raising up her face to were quite close now. A little too close. "How about you tell me this; Where you've been last night?"

"Probably, dead drunk.."had let out Ash from behind, but Cat shook her head as she waited for Vincent to answer.

"I'm sure, Mr. Keller can answer for himself here.." She watched him raising his eyebrows, up.

"Mr. Keller? That's how you see things with us, now?" Faking an astonished expression at the 'Us' word. Not like he ever had use it from before. Looks like she wanted to play with this being all formality, like they were strangers again. Catherine went on.

"Like I said, was just a simple question here. Where have you been last night?" She put her hands on her hips nodding up her head at him, with a challenging stare. He stared at her, wondering the hell knows what she wanted to put him through now. Vincent cleared up his throat as he revealed this. "I was outside with friends.."

"That's kinda true.." had added Ash, in a whisper, he, who did not liked to be left alone in the dark. Shifting her eyes back forth from her ex-boyfriend to the ME and right back to Vincent, Catherine followed as she stared hard at Vincent whose stare had never left her.

"All night?" God, her breathing was so tempting as both of their faces were close...

"Yes. All night.."

"What happened later on?"

"I guess I went home. I mean with all that drinking at the bar, I don't quite remember later on.." That was the half of the truth here. He remembered going back to the Gentleman's Club with the others and decided to play Jeffrey's stupid game and then, he went home to his houseboat. And drop dead on his bed. He hadn't moved from that spot for the rest of the night. That was it. However, that nightmare he had with Catherine killing him in cold blood, was still haunting his head.

"Don't remember, uh? That's normal with you, uh? It seems the amnesia story was quite true, from what I've heard.." She had that same stare just like she had in his nightmare. He sighed, trying to play her game as he shrugged his shoulders. "You can't always believe of what you hear in the media, in nowdays.." He said that as if he had no better answer to tell.

"You think, you're above than everybody else, here?" She challenged him.

"No, I'm not.." Body language didn't backed away from him.

"Then explain, how drunk you were, when you made that call last night?"He blinked at that question. What call was she talking about?

"What call?" Knowing how far she was going to get him by the balls, Tess tried to stop an very tempting Catherine here.

"Cat-"

"That call you made about a woman walking around NY General Hospital's streets, just a few hours before a murder was comitted. You heard about Gretchen Hermandez was found dead in the very early morning, no?. With all organs ripped out."

"What it has to do with the woman, spotted at night?"

"You said on that call, that she walked like a whore would do on the street. And later, cops had found Sandler trying to escape the authorities.." That didn't ring a bell to him.

"They found her, hidding with her boyfriend, but it's not the only important thing here. Cat and I found a gun under Gretchen's bed, which leads us to believe that Lena has one under her real name.."had interrupted Tess, trying to explain the situation a bit better for Vincent to understand.

"I don't get it.." However, the guy was lost as he looked back from Tess and Cat, confused.

"Lena and Gretchen had switched names, so probably switched rooms too..You can do the math here.."had finished Catherine. Now that clicked something. Vincent had heard and seen Catherine talking to a woman last night at the bar. A woman that she called Lena, that girl that Jeffrey had nicknamed 'The woman with the purple dress' whom he had the thoughts of going into, but went on for the one with the blue dress. That dark haired woman was the one who killed Gretchen, last night? Since Vincent couldn't find answer, Gabe did in other ways break the silence.

"Hold on a minute here, when you said, they switched names, you also mean by appearences?"

"I'm pretty sure you know by what it means by switching names, Gabe. Everything in all the order. Lena used to be blonde, before all that mess with Alvarez happened. She chopped her hair into short and dyed into brown. Just like J-Lo did in that movie _Enough_ , however, Gretchen didn't do her hair, which means she'd wore a long blonde wig long enough to look like Lena. The cover was blown after she got killed, which means someone knew who she was. But it's not only that, they changed their bedrooms, the only thing that hadn't, was the gun.."

"The gun..I see.."He watched as he nodded to the scene had before his eyes, as an guarded Cat backed away from Vincent to turn her head towards to the confused ADA.

"Tess had sent it for an exam, for fingerprints to make sure if the gun is actually tied up to the crime.."

"I still don't know what it has to do with me. I don't remember calling the cops or anybody about a woman walking around the hospital's streets, in the middle of the night.."

"That's quite true, because I was drunk as well too. I remembered that Vincent and I went to a friend's place, to get high, like old times.." Vincent turned his head back to the the guy in the lab coat, with a little bit out of nowhere reaction. Ash looked down to his phone as he checked up the hour and whistled at the time had lost by talking. He looked up to his friend, putting his hands into his pockets with a frown. "If you want to know more about the butching job that I do, call me.." And he turned back to the autopsy room. And to tell the truth, Vincent didn't wanted to go back there with the two bodies lying over there. That strong smell was still messing him up his senses. It made him feel dizzy. He turned his attention back to Catherine who had heard all that chat, as if she was impressed. More like she wanted to fake it.

"Nice alibi, by an old friend from med school, who else do you know that might cover your ass?" The truth had almost came out, but he managed to say little about last night's evenings and had let Ash do the rest of the talking here. But knowing how smart Catherine was, she figured out that he was trying hide away the truth now. Until they finally figured out of what stage their relationship was at some level. He'd confess, that's for sure. But not now.

"How about an ex-boyfriend beast guy, like the guy right behind you?"He asked back with a frown, putting his hands to his coat's pockets, daring her to say more.

"Me? Last time, I've checked it was when I got shot and left for dead after Reynolds had kidnapped you and dragged you out of town.."had said Gabe folding his arms against him to the fabric of his drenched suit. And a little offended here.

"Speaking of dragging someone out of town, there's an deputy of Amber's Foster Child Services walking right over here and something tells me that Alvarez knows that his daughter is missing.."had spotted Tess with a head nod as she looked up and behind the couple, there was in fact a woman with a thick dark hair in ponytail with a grey suit, talking to Ward. Catherine looked behind her back to see that trouble had come to her way, or more to Lena's way now that she was caught.

"You think he had alerted them, now that Lena is caught?"

"My guts says yeah. Even a powerful man like him wants details.."But Cat shook her head, remembering that Lena wouldn't say any word about Angela, even if it means having the Child Foster Services behind her back, for the rest of her life.

"She's never gonna tell them, any other way." The taller cop gave her a look at that.

"What makes you think that?"

"Running away from an abusive and not so faithful husband with his daughter for who knows how long. Wife accused of being delusional and unstable had sent her only fresh and blood away from town in order to be safe from a guy like him.." Tipical story of an young single mother on the run. Short story to be told.

"Oh, a guy like him? Or you mean a monster like?" had asked Vincent back, but she ignored him as she followed, looking back to a very thoughtful Tess.

"Lena rather wants to lie to the authorities, Tess. I asked her about where she had sent Ángela away and she kept changing the subject over and over again. Not wanting to help the people who were hired by Alvarez and..Probably stay in jail, even if it means for a crime she didn't even comitted in the first place.."

"That's a lot of sacrifices that your friend is taking now.." She added back a with a long sigh. Damn his voice sounded like a tons of electric vibrations, that threatened to sooth her body so badly... Temptation is a sin, Cat, she reminded herself.

"Because, unlike somebody that I know here, she's willing to do it for the people she loves even if they never give a damn about it.." Cat exchanged a look back at him who looked back at her, with an guilty expression now meaning he was no longer frustrated at her, but more like he had understood her now, even if he had been too late to understand behind the meanings of the sacrifices that she made for him. She shook her head as she tried to look away from him. She was done with him, that was it. She didn't wanted to let him go inside of her, anymore. Enough, Cat, it's enough, she reminded herself.

"Okay, I think I may have a plan and it might work.."Her partner's voice had brought her up awake to reality.

"Like?"

"You and Vincent go outside to seek answers about the club, the shop and the place where the two female bodies were found that could help us for a lead.."

"Vincent and I? But I want to talk to Lena, again, Tess!" But her friend just rolled her eyes, knowing how demanding her partner could be at times like these.

"No offense, Cat, but you're too emotionally involved and we can't take that risk or else it might screw the case..Like I said you go outside while I go and talk to Lena.."

"You really she's gonna to open up to you?" Tess just shrugged, like she was used to, but more like she had no other choice.

"Well, she doesn't know me for sure. And I can be very intimidating and bad, not that you aren't, you are. But with someone else like me, I think I may dig a few things you haven't, done, Cat.."

"What about the hospital, the crime scene of where Gretchen was found?"

"It's surrounded by bodyguards and the hospital staff that were present are still being questioned. I don't think they would want an detective and an war hero celebrity messing around the scene, when they could be suspected. Anyways, you guys just focus on the club, the shop and the other crime scene that most of footprints and blood had vanished because of the rain..Leave the Gretchen case to me for now and I'll try to talk with Lena.." She pointed Vincent, as he was the center of the attention when her gaze hadn't left Cat. "Your ex-boyfriend may have a good alibi here, but with Gretchen's pictures here, it could turn very bad. I'd also check about his others friends, Cat, making sure if he was with them after he left the bar.."

"And that it'll clearify my name from Hermandez's murder, so that we could be clear about it..." A way to prove that he wasn't involved and save his dignity. Cat turned her head at him, from behind. Not convinced about it. "In order to believe in it, I have to see it from my own eyes, Vincent.." He scowled his eyebrows at her answer as she didn't wanted to believe in him or even noticed how pale he looked like when he came out from the autopsy room. Didn't she felt anything at all for him, like she used to, before? Hard break-up steps here, Tess followed back with a sigh. "I'll call you, if I get anything new from Sandler. You'll be the first to know, Cat.." She watched her partner trying to ease up for a minute and Cat walked out with her badge hanging on her uniform's belt. But as Vincent had started to follow her, Tess grabbed his arm, as if but with force. He looked back at her, trying to not look intimitaded when she gave him an iced glare. She may had decided to cover up about Gretchen for Cat, but not for him.

"You better not mess this thing up this time. Cause if you or beastie princess, end up in trouble once again, I'll castrate you or I can let Cat do that to you and to your so called female girlfriend.." God, she wasn't joking here as her heartbeat beeped up fast at her words. The best friend wanted to protect her best friend from a bad guy like him, not like he blamed as he was prepared for more insult to come, Vincent stood quiet at her words, as she followed with this. A warning, he'd never forget.

"Tess.."had tried to say Gabe as he wanted to step and stop the fight, however Catherine's best friend and partner had ignored him.

"If you ever try to mess up with Cat here, she might try to kill you and it won't be by shooting you again. Mark my words, Keller. It'll be ripping your heart out and I'll be very happy to watch it, if it ever happens in the future.."

...

"My, My, isn't that the so-called war hero guy, that everyone had been talking about.." had said Cheng as Medina left Ward's office as he approached his partner and looked down at the floor where Chandler and Vargas were discussing as Vincent Keller was listening and watching them. The cop in the black clothes watched them from a far with a frown. Catherine Chandler was gonna be a big case to handle, but Vincent Keller..Santiago may have an idea of how he could handle things.

"Yeah..I remember watching him at The Talk show, a few days before.." He mumbled as he made a pouting face as if he was deceived from what he'd been exposed to see. "Thought the guy was a little bit bigger than I thought.."

"Hendricks is still behind your back, eh..?

"Stick to my butt like a gum, yeah.."

Rui told him that the ex-soldier was recovering a gunshot wound just a few days after Reynolds got arrested by his own daughter, but the connection with Keller was not quite fixable here. Was he involved into the arrest or did he got himself shot after saving the Windsor heiress? Something did not clicked here.

"Anything with the suspcious boyfriend..?" He mentionned the guy named Patrick who was in the interview room away.

"Except that he used to have a record and tried to hide his girlfriend, I think the guy is clear, but still I warned him to not leave the country.."

"Good work.."

"Anything with Chandler and Sandler?"

"Not much. Both of them are lying bitches, but its not them that I'm interrested..It's that dead living guy over there.."

Once he and Cheng would check on Lowan and Vargas, he'll check back into the hospital, but not for the Gretchen case, but asking questions about the ex-soldier being admitted to the hospital and demanding who made the 911 call. He only had one name that reached up his mind and he was watching her leave the precinct along with Keller..

"Chandler, the woman with the burried secrets and Keller, the mysterious living and war hero guy, the man who is not of what he seems to be.."

...

He watched her. Spitting lies toward the female detective, all that breath wasted away. He watched them hidding into his own corner, through his IPad and listened through with his earplugs. That whore was in her cell waiting to go trial, if she ever goes to Rikers for her silence or for more of her lack of collaborating with the police. She was caught and her husband would definitely show up now that she'd been caught after the death of her friend.

He made it happen. He only wanted what it belonged to him, for so long. The other blond woman was useless to him now that her body was discovered. Her heart beating inside of his ribcage seemed to keep the _creature_ away, but not so much lately, not that he was dying, he wasn't but couldn't silence the other part of himself for a longtime.

That brunette thought she could get away with everything. She was so wrong. With all her organs hidden away into his private place, he would be prepared once again, and try to keep _him_ away. And if it doesn't work, he'll go back to the hunt for another prey.

But what frightened him was the two female bodies that were found today. He believed that they were able to save him from his misery, but turned out that he was wrong.

They were the same race as him and had tried to attack him, but he was too fast for them. The poison worked so fast on them and hid their bodies underground so that nobody would find them. He could still hear them scream, a very pitched and horrified scream that had come out from the deepest of their throats. He tried to watch the video, as an annoyed Yalena Sandler, sitting on her bench as she stared up at the celling as she tried to fool Catherine Chandler's partner who looked like she didn't wanted to give up on a fight. The only wall that separated them were the bars that looked like a cage. The female detective had crossed her arms against her chest as she kept resisting on the questions hoping burst the prisoner.

 _"You still wanna to talk about nonsense stuff, Detective Vargas, that you can't get from?"_

 _"You have to know that my partner is trying to save you from being convicted for a crime you didn't commit. We can also help you to keep your daughter away from your husband, if you want to collaborate with us.."_

 _"My word is against your word. You're just wasting your time with your lies, Detective..Blah, blah, blah.."_

 _"Child Foster Services were alerted from Álvarez, Lena. You lost a bad cause.."_

 _"LIke I said, blah, blah, blah..."_

That bitch wasn't going to say anything else, only to protect that stupid daughter of hers away from a monster like her husband. Yalena Sandler wasn't going to make it.

And he was going to watch it..

Watch her scream, like he watched Gretchen scream in terror when his claws had penatrated her open flesh..

...

Damn that other female detective was even more annoying than Catherine used to be a few minutes ago. They say they understand the pain you're going through, but it's all wrong here. They're not going to help you, they're just trying to find a way to manipulate you with your words, putting them against you. And Yalena swore to herself that she wasn't going to let herself be manipulated or controled by anybody else, than herself.

Child Foster Services on her back? A total joke. She'd rather go into prison, than to turn Angela over them or even to Oliver. A few minutes before Detective Tess Vargas had left her cell, she blurted out this. Hoping to make her change her mind.

"You do know, that if even you're not collaborating, authorities won't stop tracking your daughter. They'd even go and contact Chicago's authorities and go through everything, taxis, hotel rooms and even airports...Wake up Sandler, this is your family, we're talking about!" Being dangerously calm like a cat, Lena stood up from her seat and walked to the bars where it separated them both.

"Finally, you're shaking up-" Spout was the only sound that came out from her which took the taller and intimidated cop by surprise. She watched Cat's partner wipping the saliva out from her face. She couldn't believe it. In all of her years working as a cop, Tess never had been spit by an prisoner, until now. Lena remembered her shocking expression when she told her this.

"Over. My. Dead. Body.."

"You are walking on a very deadline, Sandler.."She told back. But it didn't mattered to her anymore. And out of nowhere, she heard big and hardwork boots coming to her cell's direction. Stunned, Lena sat up on the bench and raised up her head to see who was coming to her way.

"I thought I was pretty clear, Detective Bagass. Over my dead bod-" She stopped to talk when her eyes widened at the shadow of an person coming up to see her. And by the looks of it, Lena stared at the person like her life was now at risk.

Much more bigger and terrifying risk...

...

"Anything?" Vincent tried to track down the culprit that killed both Alicia and Helga, but he couldn't even describe anything. Everything was so dark. Darkness that hid everything in sight. He couldn't see a damn thing at all. Like Tess had said earlier this afternoon, most of the footprints and blood had vanished because of the heavy rain and despite the police work on keeping it with tents and security yellow straps surrounding the crime scene, it failed. Now with the storm had stopped, the damage was upon repair. The tents and straps were gone now, since it was a lost was humidity air that Cat couldn't tolerate at all. The sun has gone down, and deep grey and heavy clouds were up to the sky.

"I can't see anything..It was too dark.."

After he and Catherine went on their research for answers concerning Gretchen's death and the gun shop store, they had come back to the crime scene where the two bodies were found. The girls at the club had no other clue about Gretchen or Yalena's plans, and warned Cat they'd hire a lawyer and put charges on the cops if they ever cross the lines again. Lina's words. So far, nothing good. They took a break and went at IL Cantuccio for a break lunch, where they ate in silence, without staring at each other. It was less embarassing. And they went right back to work, but to the gun shop store.

Cat had managed to identify Yalena through the security footage cameras at the gun shop, where the owner who was around his late fifties had remembered a young woman with short dark hair with blue eyes, wearing a red used t-shirt, dark leather jacket and skinny blue jeans coming inside of his shop and asked to buy the most small gun he could have on stores. Despite the cold winter weather and just a week before the murder. And of course it was under her real name, Yalena Sandler. A real bad mistake. The old man had replied saying that the young woman wanted to buy a gun in order to defend herself. An S&W Model, stating that Lena wanted something small and classic and easy to use, sort of like the Dirty Harry saga movies. When Cat had shown him an picture of the gun folded into an evidence bag, he had it recognized. As they talked, Vincent went to look around the place as he was peeking over a gun in particular and listening to the conversation and mostly at the old man's heartbeat.

"That's the gun, she bought and paid cash before she left.."

"Did she had a permit along with her?"

"Damn straight, she had one with her. A russian woman would always cause trouble when someone would upset her up.."

"How do you know?" Dropping his research, Vincent turned around and went up to Catherine's left side, with his hands into his coat's pockets. His ears twitched at the sound of the old man's voice and heartbeat.

"I call it from experience, Detective.."He said back as he folded his arms against his chest, standing behind the counter where guns of every genre where exposed,proudly. "A woman with a revenge plan, that's how I call it.."

"You had the thought that she would go and hunt someone, close to her?"had asked Vincent, just before his ex-girlfriend could say something.

"Don't know about that. She said that she wanted to protect herself from a madman, but her eyes had shown cold mercy.."

Later on the evening, the two of them went back to Cat's car where the two of them tried to keep things less weird. The former soldier decided to break the silence as he gazed back at her who was trying to focus on the road, both hands on the wheel very determinated, or more like she didn't wanted to feel his gorgeous eyes on her. "I don't think he lied about the gun, but I believe he has high of chances of dying from cholesterol, unless he can control it.."He let as he was trying to light things up in a good way, but when Catherine decided to stay silent, he blurted out this.

"I did not exposed that woman..I didn't hurt Lena.."He admitted with a defeated sigh, no knowing what else to say now, that she was trying to avoid him.

"Never said you did.."

"But you're thinking it, you have to believe me in this, Catherine, I wasn't even there when it happened..I didn't even made that call.."

"See? You're the one who's panicking here. Not me. Like I said, Vincent, until I see it from my own eyes, I'd judge if you were right or not.." That's it? She didn't believed in him, anymore? Then why did she looked hesitated as she rushed on her words here? Vincent could sensed that she was nervous as he watched her bitting her lip and by gripping the wheel by her fingers or more like with her uncut and unfixed nails. Frustruation was the word he could find when he saw her features, like she wanted to unleash out all the anger inside of her.

"Then, why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not nervous, and I need to be calm when I drive Vincent, or I can drive us to an very bad accident. So, until we get close to the crime scene, you shut it out.."

"Relax, I didn't meant to make you go mad here-" He jumped as he got cut out when she slammed the wheel, in frustruation.

"Well, you've done it. Congratulations.."She cut him out before he could follow what he wanted to say back. His jaw dropped at that point as he was taken back by her answer, he dropped the subject. He let out a long and defeated sigh as he crossed his arms against his coat and stared at the window, looking outside even with an very loud speeding heartbeat that bothered him. The two of them remained silent for the rest of the road.

Catherine walked closer to him as she stared down at the two empty graves, when he tried to fix the the two holes down there as if an flash would come out, like he used to when he managed to track something with his beast side. "What do you mean, you can't see anything?"

"It's not like I don't see it, it's that I can't detect anything at all..There's a big difference in here.."

"Not even when they screamed?" She added back as an forgotten idea. Vincent just shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes as he tried to calm down and work with the other bad guy. Within a flash, he tried to re-track the culprit again and as he mentionned before; He couldn't see a thing at all, but the more he'd focused, he heard screams. But more like roars of an bear. No, more of creatures he'd known. An mixture of all animals in one body, all of them together. A Beast's haunting and screaming of terror as if she or he was about to get eaten.. He shook his head, blinking as he jerked himself out from a nightmare. Catherine watched Vincent taking a few steps back from the graves as he tried to catch his breath as he put an hand to his chest.

"Vincent-" He kept his eyes to the empty graves where both girls were led into as he felt Cat coming a little closer to his side, wondering if he needed help, but he assured her as he held a hand telling her to stop.

"Damn, I take it back here. I couldn't see whatever the hell was going on, on that night, but I heard them.."

"Them, you mean Alicia and Helga?"

"It could be that. I couldn't see anything, it's like everything blocked from when I tried to track them here.."

"What do you think had happened?"

"I think that someone was after them and not out of nowhere, I do think they were chased because.."

"Because of what?"He gulped at that question, because he knows that she may not like the answer of it. Refusing to look up to her, he added this;

"Because they were beasts..Someone must have known and killed them, at the end.."And the reason why they were poisoned? It's still not clear as well. Cat couldn't believe it. They were beasts out there? Vincent was supposed to be the last after Tori had nearly died with her other inner side. How come and why?

"Beasts?" She blinked at that, astonished.

"Like I said; Couldn't see a thing, but heard a couple roars out in the middle of the night..I thought we were done about it.."He meant about the hunting exposure, that he had to endure.

"Oh God..Not this again.." She put her hands on her face, feeling defeated at this. More trouble to come she was sure. Really she didn't wanted to deal with any of this. "I don't know when it's ever gonna stop.." He bend one knee down on the ground as he checked the grave from a closer view, thoughtful.

"I don't know either and with the beast blood stolen, it could only explain-

"Tori's blood stolen? You think that whomever had done this, knew about your ex-girlfriend's special blood type? Let me remind you that I saved her stupid ass from dying.."She cut him off as he felt his shoulders getting a little tense at this. Did they really have to go through this, now? "You know what? I kinda regret it now.." He looked back up at her, watching her putting her fists on her hips, shaking off her head all being frustrated.

"Really, Catherine, you're really wanna do this, now? I thought things between us were okay..." Not so okay, bud.

"Maybe for you, but not so for me...You had the fun of fooling me around one time, why not switch the roles here?" Hang on here, what's going on here? Vincent went up on his feet, a little weird. Catherine had every reason of being angry with him, true. But blaming him? Okay, maybe a little, but still, she used to be reasonable when it had come these private invastigations, like beasts cases. Cases that they both used to do together.

"I thought, we were looking for clues that lead Alicia and Helga to death? Not about us.."

"We were, however whenever it's about beasts, you're always the master of situation.." Freaking out a little bit too much here.

"Okay. What's that supposed to mean? That I had no idea that they were more out there? After your father was done with me? I mean, guys like me, you mean? Had I known it, I would had-"She glared up at him that shut him off, right away.

"You would have killed them? I'm sure you're pretty good at it.."

"No, but I would had stopped them, in other way.."He wasn't so sure, if he could had done it, but what's done is done, he can't go back from the past.

"You think, you would had stop them in either way?"He looked away hiding away his guilt feeling. When she was trying to reach out for him. Damn, why did she had to bring this up, now?

"I would've had if I had trusted us, first.."

"Because, you didn't trusted me?" He whirled his head back at her, alarmed at that point as he tried to defend himself.

"It's not what I meant.."

"But you were thinking of it.." It's not that he didn't trust the couple they used to be, it's just that guys like her father would have had found a way to get out of jail, anyways despite the crimes and murder orders he made him do. But to kill him, was the only way for him to put all that pain away. At least that's what Vincent had thought, but he was too angry to think upright. He could had choose to stay away from Tori's ideas of finishing Reynolds and trust Cather- Damn, he was repeating himself again!- And out of nowhere, she let a surprising laugh out from her mouth. And right at his face. But it wasn't by pure pleasure, but by pure mockery. An confusing expression showed up to his traits from her mockery laughing matter.

"What's so funny?"

"Unbelievable.."

"What?" She raised and waved a hand, as she tried to ease up the huge grin she had marked up to her face. He narrowed his eyes in wonder, was she making fun of him now?

"You. You are unbelievable, Vincent. You're never gonna stop to impress me, after all..."She shook up her head. She wasn't lying, at least her racing heartbeat wasn't. And what worried him it was that her eyes proving that she wasn't making anything up. No force was in there, and she really meant to mock him now. He spin around and managed to make a few steps away from Catherine, still feeling not so good here.

"I'll keep looking around.." He didn't felt easy now. Not that was it the horrible scent he had experienced from the autopsy room. But because of Catherine. Something was wrong here. He could still feel her gorgeous eyes laughing behind his back and Vincent didn't quite liked it. He managed to look down at the two exposing and deeping holes that were Helga and Alicia's graves.

 _"You had the fun of fooling me around one time, why not switch the roles here?"_

But Catherine's voice full of desperate and anger was haunting him now. Can't get it out of his mind and it was starting to make him feel..A little dizzy here? Like vibrations went though his head. He clenched his eyes close as he held two fingers to his temple in pain. Like he was having an horrible headache. Other than Catherine's remarks, he felt not so good at the moment, his head was starting to get light, like he was going to collapse by any second. After that stupid hangover from last night, he felt strong enough to face the day, but ever since he had come out from the autopsy room, things had started to not look good. Like he had caught some bad bacteria from the room.

"What did you just said, Tess?" He blinked awake from his thoughts as he turned around to see Catherine talking to her phone. Her expression changed from the very mocking person to the very concerning woman he once knew before. And from what he could hear from the phone conversation was not any happy news that she was expecting to receive.

 _"Cat, I think you need to sit down from what I'm about to say is not so good to bear.."_

"I don't need to sit down! Just tell me what's going on! Tess!"

 _"Cat..It's just not easy to say this on the phone.."_

"Damn it! Just tell me!"

 _"Cat.."_

"Spit it out, already!"

"Catherine-" He tried to reply as he walked back at her height, but much to his surprise, she backed away from him. Still concentrating on her partner's answer, she was trying to earn her breath hoping to not go into hypovolemic shock when she and Vincent heard Tess's words.

 _"It's Lena, she's been beaten and attacked. Someone must had busted into her cell and almost had killed her.."_

Dumbfounded at Tess's answer, Vincent watched her dropping her phone on the snow as she stared at the air, with a state of blinding shock. And then her eyes lifted up to his...

Oh God, things were about to get ugly and very ugly here.

...

 **How was it? I'm very sorry for the long wait for everyone here. I think I'm gonna leave it here and wait to read your reaction. It was quite a difficult chapter to write as I tried to find a way to end it before I could go on with Cat on going undercover.**

 **Damn things got bad for Catherine and Vincent. She now believes that he has something to do with Lena's attack. Guess she's not quite ready to forgive him anytime soon. Things with Tori aren't better either with Gabe and Medina may dig a few things from VinCat's past. Geez someone had tricked Alicia and Helga into becoming monsters until they were mysteriously poisoned and Vincent is not feeling so good at that thought.**

 **Where are you? Beasties? I know the show is over now, but that doesn't mean you should give up on writting BATB fanfics! This fanfiction barrier is getting pretty lonely now..**

 **Anyways, thanks for the support guys! Please sent me a nice review with full of love! See Ya!**


	14. Chapter 14

_"It's Lena, she's been beaten and attacked. Someone must had busted into her cell and almost had killed her.."_

No. It can't be true.

Catherine felt the phone slither from her hand through Vincent's worried stare. It had gotten out of control now. Lena got attacked in jail and somewhere inside of her believings was giving her the idea that a certain wild creature was into the picture. And she knew that person far too much to be declared inoncent here. Too stunned to react, her eyes shifted up to the man before her sight in fear. Vincent. There he was, still being in front of her and worried of her reaction coming from her phone. _And haunted breathtaking.._

Oh God. He had tricked her up to come up here, while Lena was being attacked. He was more worse than she expected him to be now.

Oh God, would it ever stop? Things between Vincent and herself only seem to get worse with time they spend whenever they were together or not, something bad comes up each time and it gotten to be Lena being attacked. Just like a curse. She wasn't sure whom to believe anymore. Something snapped inside and Catherine felt it was her heart that just snapped into pieces as she continued to stare at Vincent in shock as she was the one who got shot by her boyfriend, this time. Or it was more of an betrayal act. Oh God, what made her fall for a guy like him, what did she saw in him, anyways?

Oh right, she remembered trying to save him by covering his ass away from disaster state or more like from exposing his ass to the light. Protecting him, even if her badge was at stake, including that time when Special Agent Hendricks suspected her from lying to him when a bullet in blood was found at the crime and arrested scene. But thanks to Gabe, things got better. Better for her relief, but not for the agent. She did and gave everything for Vincent. She loved him. God, it pains her to even thinking of it, that she ever did loved and desired him. She loved that man who was the most perfect boyfriend ever. But that man is now dead. Vincent's been dead to her now. _Damn, how could I have been so foolish? He got me tricked..Did I really had fell for that guy?_ Maybe from the past, cause she wasn't so sure who she was seeing before her eyes.

That was just too much.

Because that man in front of her was nothing more than his bad and ugly shadow. He wasn't who he used to be. She didn't need his pity or whatever he felt for her anymore. This stranger, how far would he go and hurt her, now?

But if Vincent was standing across from her, then who did attacked Lena? Before she could accuse him from any farther, many scenarios came through her mind such as if he ever had to do with the attack. What about Tori, did she had worked up with him? Which that explains the reason of his presence here. Did they set this thing up, together? So he can cover her up, from his ex-girlfriend? Playing the alpha and the omega here? Like they could conquer the whole world from the humans that made them become the killer machines of today. Natural Born Killers, anyways. Did he ever had known that about the attack? Had he known that Lena was going to be beaten and by keeping her away from the station would made things for Tori more easier to finish things off? So much for keeping his humanity all together.

Vincent watched Catherine shaking up her head like she couldn't or didn't want to believe of whatever she was seeing of him now.

 _"Cat? Cat, are you still there?"_ She blinked twice like she got away from her thoughts at Tess's concerning voice through the phone.

What? Her phone was still working despite being dropped down on the ground, like on the melting snow? She bent down on her knees, grabbing the phone swabing the thing off on her uniform. Still shaky as she tried to avoid to look but couldn't despite Vincent who kept its stare at her.

"Catherine-" She cut him off without any hesitation. She was done about trusting him now. Done...

"Shut up..."She got back up to her feet as she placed her phone to her ear. Enraged eyes threw fire at him, were holding their movement like she made sure that he wasn't trying to flee or blur from her sight anymore now. "Which hospital?"

 _"Cat-"_

"Which hospital was Lena admitted into?" She breathed in and out as she tried to remain calm here. And quite menacing through her tone of voice, she even heard Tess gulp when she responsed this;

 _"Benjamin's. A few deputies with Medina and I rushed in where we had heard the screams coming from Lena's cell. Lena's screams, Cat. But by the time we got there, she was uncounscious and in blood. Oh God. I was the one who called 911 and ordered the ambulance to go into the other hospital-thinking it was more safe to keep her away from Gretchen's murder case or even to have Alvarez in there. But that's not all of it, Cat.."_ had reclaimed Tess on the phone, hesitated as she held on her breath from what Cat could guess. There was more into it as she sense it.

"What do you mean?"

 _"Pitt and Yi were injured as well after they had tried to stop the attack. Not fatality, but still. After I left Lena, both Pitt and Yu went to guard her. I believe they heard the screams first before I could do anything.."_

"A..A..And Lena?" The thought of an innoncent woman lying on her very own blood on the floor after a very vicious and merciless attack and possibly by an certain beast that took advantage of Cat and Tess's patience was just unbearable as she bent her head down. She closed her eyes and tight enough to back away the threatening tears that wanted to go out. But she couldn't. She won't cry not right now, when justice was boilling through her blood. Her other hand was clenching until her knuckles became white, like she had the urge to punch somebody in order to let the frustration out or more like she felt punching Vincent. After all, it was his fault. He must have had sent Tori to finish off Lena, that's why he felt no hesitation about coming with her here. Cat felt so certain about this.

 _"Look, Cat, it would be better if you could come up here. Since I can't keep talking on the phone for any longer, I'll tell you more if you could come up here at the waiting room with or without Vincent, if he's still around with you now.."_ Her lids went back up as she stared at the same man whom her partner was refering to. His features didn't hide any feelings at all, he looked as petrified as he was listening to the conversation with her. There was no mistake at this. Maybe he wasn't a part of Lena's attack, but Vincent was capable of everything now. As he guessed whatever she was thinking of him now, he tried to make a few steps towards her.

"Catherine, I.."

"I'm on my way.." She hung up her phone and whirled back as she walked away from the crime scene to reach up to her car who was parked a little far away from the lost crime scene, but mostly far away from Vincent who was following her back, like he wanted to explain her to come back. She didn't held any urge to walk away from him.

"Catherine, wait!"

"I gotta go.."

"Please, let me explain..!"

"There's nothing to explain.."

"I have nothing to do with this, you have to believe me, Catherine!" He tried to reach her by grabbing her arm from making any move, but she dodged him away with a push from touching her arm. She didn't wanted him to touch her like she needed a shoulder to cry on. He stepped back as he took a look at her, frustrated tears at the corner of her eyes wanting to come out as she turned around to face him. Anger. He held his breath as she held one hand to her chest when the other was pointing him at fault.. Not to mention that her heart was rushing out fast as well. She was pissed off and tired of being manipulated.

"Catherine-" She pointed him with her finger as a warning sign back at him. Breathing through icy cold air.

"Don't. You. Dare. Touch. Me..."

"Let me explain-"

"Don't you get it? We're done! We're done here, Vincent! Done!" That struck him like a statue in shock. He had known that things between them were over because of his bad choices, but to hear her saying these words out loud in anger state like this, it just frightened him.

"I've been trying so hard, to make things work between us, but the only thing that keeps it from getting better is you.." Her voice was shaking as she tried to remain under control. Vincent was just lost now, like he couldn't follow her into whatever she was saying now. But he had the feeling, that the heart had a lot to say now.

"What are you trying to say.." She scoffed back at this question.

"Ah! You know exactly what I'm trying to say. While I've been trying to cover your ass for a year and half, there you are fooling me around behind my back.." Cat closed her eyes as she put two fingers on her temple, trying to rethink of something as she was trying to calm down. Even if she desesparetely wanted to explode right now. God, did she even known him now? What else Reynolds had done to Vincent now? Who was this man..Who looked so much like..

"First I understood about Alex and Gabriela...But letting a stupid and useless bitch like Tori taking-" She hissed a shaking breath out as she raised both of her arms up as she showed her hands up as an desparate act. Like she don't even want to imagine the worst. "Look, I don't even want to know! Everybody is free to screw whomever they want..And I agree with that point, since I used to screw with a lot of bad guys around.." Before I've meet you, she almost had added that answer.

"But hiring an ex to go and finish off a person you barely had seen.." Now, he raised an hand at her, mentionning her to stop at this. He shoved a big frustrating breath out. He knows that she's gone too far and yet he tried to defend himself, quiet as he could, even if he was burning inside. Anger, perhaps?

"And, like I said, you're just unbelievable..Freaking-" It was his turn to cut her off, as his voice's tone sounded a little hard to hear, like she had managed to hit a sensitive nerve on him. He eyed her with darkerned eyes, trying to stay on guard, like he wasn't going to take any stupid and useless blame on him now.

"Really, you honestly believe that I would have done this? I spent the whole day searching about fingerprints and beast killings with you and you believe I've set this up?"His voice went up a little higher than he could try to deny it. Angry, but moisted green emarald eyes had snapped open, were staring back him now. Damn those tears at the corner of her eyes were threatening to fall, but she was as angry as he could see her now.

"It would be possible, either way Vincent.." Did she just said that? She really had the thought that he could go and kill someone at such a far distance? He hoped that it was wrong that Catherine was making this up to make him talk or even admitting he was into this planning attack. He tried to find any clue that proved that everything she just said was wrong, just to look up to her beautiful features or even concentrating on her heartbeat. But she meant it much to his shock..

"Catherine, I thought you knew better than that.."Vincent didn't knew what else to say, but he had known for sure, that somewhere inside of him was breaking into pieces.

"That's what I thought as well, we can agree on that.."She turned her head away from him as she started to climb up onto the grass. With big steps ahead from him, walking behind her back. "It might be better for you to stay away from exposure for now on.." More from me. And then, she felt like she was being pulled back from behind as he grabbed her wrist hoping his hold was not so hard on her. That was enough. "Vincent, I mean it.." She turned her head back down at him, his fingers tighten up to her wrist as he never wanted to let her go.

"And I meant it, about me. I didn't hurt or killed your friend.." She gave him a hard look, shutting all lights of hope much to his eyes willing of convincing her that he was far from the guilty guy that someone was trying set him up. Vincent didn't wanted to give up, at all.."God, I wasn't even there when it took place, you gotta have to trust me on this, Catherine.."Damn he sounded like he was pleading to her to hear him loud enough for her to understand. "Please, Catherine-"

"And that's the thing, I don't think I should trust you, Vincent. Not this time. Not anymore.." Her voice just broke at this as she swallowed back a big lump into her throat. Not wanting to burst into tears and not in front of his eyes who were staring at her glooming ones, too thunderstrucked to even reply anything back. Oh no. It was done and she made it clear this time. He gave up his hold on her as she backed her way away from him,between them as if they were about to split here and once again. He stepped back as he dodged from getting hit from Catherine only turned her back at him. "And if you want to prove that you're not involved into Lena's attack, you're gonna have to testify at the station. That you're innocent, but that's without my help, Vincent.."And she left him alone,without turning back. Not even second from it. He shook his head as if he had no idea of what he was witnessing now.

"Catherine!" She could hear him calling her name back. "Come back!" Damn, Cat tried to not fall into temptation. "Catherine!" Damn him. Hearing him calling her name, it was like she wanted to go back into his warming embrace. Coming back to him-Resist Cat! Don't fall into his tricks, you're tougher than that, she reminded herself as she kept walking away from him.

He rushed up to the street leaving the park grounds as he watched her climb into her car, slam the door, pushed the brakes in, put gaz into the engine and turned back as she drove backwards trying to find a way back onto the street far away from the snow and away from him. He stood there, feeling nothing but helpless now. How could she accuse him of setting up an attack like that one she heard from Tess? It just couldn't be possible.

He was losing her,again. He couldn't believe it.

Cat concentrated to look up to the road, but somehow she couldn't get Vincent's haunting eyes away from her mind as she watched him from the rearview, watching his form getting smaller and smaller as she drove away from him. He looked so broken. Damn, it was hard enough to run away from him, again. The first time was the hardest, when she walked away from him as she had closed the door behind her back, at his houseboat. Leaving him with a bad gunshot wound and a huge gapping and guilty wound for her to hold. However, the second time was different, she left him alone with a wounded heart and he wasn't the only one here, hers was also broken as well.

She swore to herself that she wouldn't never shed any fallen tear for some stupid guy. Not once in her life, it had happened at all. Until Vincent managed to break her rules, today.

Stupid and silent tears were falling down on her cheeks as she headed the way to Benjamin's Hospital's building.

...

Sitting at the waiting room area as she sipped her bad coffee at the middle of the evening, Tess couldn't take off of her mind the lastest images of an very badly wounded Lena lying down on the cell floor. Damn, it only seemed just a few minutes just after she was done talking with Cat's running away friend. _Damn, that bitch spit on me and got attacked by an very wild and huge chewbacca! All that in one day!_

Lena had a threat on her back and an very costing one. However, it wasn't the only thing that shocked Tess, that scene had quite reminded her of the hostage evening when a great and good friend, Freddy DeMarco had died at the precinct that night. It shocked her to see that. But cops do know when they have to sacrifice their lives for others, no?

"Hey, is Chandler coming?" Freak, Medina's voice was coming towards her direction, she kept staring at her cup, refusing to look up to him.

"Yeah, I just called her to come up..." She tried to solace herself as much as she could, hoping he won't notice that her voice shoke. Like she wanted to burst into tears. _Now, is not the moment! Get a grip here!_ She swallowed that big lump she held into her throat. "How are they?"

"Pitt had a few and bad internal injuries to his head, from what I heard. But the surgery went ok. Docs have no idea if he's gonna make it or not. They have him into induced coma and wait for his condition to change. However for Yi, she would be fine. Nothing bad other than a few cuts and small bruises, but she may have to stay inside, just for an observation.."

"And Sandler?"

"Still in surgery..."

She and Medina had come up right behind the three ambulances to the hospital. Both Yi and Pitt were injured by the attack, however chances for Lena to survive were low. There was too much blood around.

Tess remembered the screams as she and the other cop had rushed into the corridor that led to Lena's jailing cell bars, only to come up to late. Inside, there was an uncounscious and very badly wounded Lena lying down on the floor with deep flesh wounds coming from what looked like a wild creature had bursted in. Claws of marks, bruises, the back of her head was hit as well, not sure how much hard it got hit, but with the blood on it, it wasn't a good sign. Blood was on the wall as it slowly fell down like a trail, which meant that Lena got pushed and her head had took a huge hit, at it. Damn. Beast marks on her torso and..Gosh.. She told Cat that she would talk to Lena and make her change her mind..It failed.

She couldn't tell her that. Couldn't tell how badly Lena looked like, it was too personal. Not on the phone and not to Vincent, directly. Who knows what that guy was up to now? Did he had anything to do with the attack? And Lena's attacker, was he or she an..

"It's not your fault, Vargas. Stop blaming yourself..."Wow, Medina really sounded calm and very serious when he wanted to be. Guilt was all over her face.

"I should've had stayed.."

"Then, 'it' would had killed you right away and Chandler would be left without an partner..Get over it.." Tess looked up at him. The cop in black was leaning his back to the wall with his arms folded to his chest and not caring much of whatever he stared right ahead of him. Dang, he was a mess to mess up with it. Not only he bursted his ass here to clear up an old case, but he was also here for something else too. And might concerns Catherine. Like that night when she had go out at the middle of the night while Cat was interrogating an very nervous Patrick. Tess had caught him talking to someone that night and for her, it was bad news.

"Hey, Tessy!"She slamed her car's door back and headed right at him making sure to be careful of her steps as she did not wanted to mess with any evidence on the snow. Quite intrigued.

"Who were you talking with?" Trying to look innoncent, he just put his fists in his pockets, adding; "My wife, Laura, saying 'Goodnight' to me, quite a romantic thing to do, isn't it?" But Tess wasn't buying any of it.

"Did not looked like you wanted a 'Goodnight kiss' from whomever he or she was on the phone with an old frog, like you..."She came over to him, still angry, but the balloon pool thing was no longer the problem at the moment. Realizing, that she wasn't kidding around, he tried to defend himself;

"Look, Tess, whatever you've heard is not what you've-"Oh Damn, he was hiding something back, she cut him off with a tone that sounded a little too harsh. "Think of? You mean? I don't think so! Exepct for the 'Foxy and sexy' part, I believe you're up to something..." He just eyed her with a glare, forgetting the fun side now as she added;

"And I don't mean by alone, I believe more of the possibility that you are working with someone else, other than your partner..."

Santiago Medina was hidding something and he was very good at it. She caught him mentionning Cat's last name on the phone and whomever was on the other line was rushing him for answers.

"Medina.."

"Yup.."

"Who were you talking the other last night?" Two days ago, to be sure.

"My horny and dirty little chihuahua named Renny .." Nice try. After she had thrown that awfull coffee cup into the nearest garbage, Tess rose up from her seat and went to face him, fists on her hips as she demanded answers from him. She wasn't all impressed with his act.

"Don't make fun of me, Medina. I heard you talking to someone the other night, outside at the haunted place's gardens and you looked very pissed off.."

"Just like you are now.."

"You are up to something, aren't you? You just did not come up here on your own accord about resovling some stupid case! You're here because you wanna to bust Cat into the Feds!"His smirk had gone away as he stared down at her.

"You're being too emotional, Vargas and your partner doesn't need that.-."

"George had told me your history about that guy's murder and with the deal you had to make with the FBI. Does the name of an Hendricks ring you up a bell here?" At this threat, the cop's eyes had darkened in as a warning sign for Tess to shut up right before he could do something he might regret. She had known that her brothers were kinda close with Medina and his wife, Laura along with their kids. And she had known for sure, that Medina had go through a very dark period when he was young before. But not as much as she knows now and Medina refused to ever talk about that period.

"Don't know a word of whatever you're trying to spit at me. And like I said, you're being too emotional and people are watching here, including your partner coming toward our way.." He nodded his chin up, making sure she knew what he was talking about. Tess whirled around to see an ashen and exhausted Cat still in uniform with her hair down on her shoulders, walking toward their way. Bloodshot but fixed eyes and sweating. She assumed just to look up to her partner who really wanted to punch the first person here. Or more like she wanted to punch an ex by now. Things did not gone too well, with Vincent. Something had snapped, she could scent it.

"Hey, Cat-"

"Where's Lena?"

"Still in surgery, kitty cat.."had scoffed the other cop behind Tess who just grimaced in anger. "And as for those stupid rookies, they should be fine with some rest, well paid here.."

"What are you trying to say here, idiot?" Had glanced Tess over her shoulder, as Medina followed.

"All I'm saying is the two of you should had been more careful with the suspect. And look what we've got? Two rookies injured not to mention that there's a so-called delusional serial killer whose been attacked and may be dead by now. Leaving a lost kid and a good husband.." He stared down at his shoes as he said that, not giving a damn thing if both of the girls had exploded or not.

"Ex-husband..."had corrected an very frustrated Cat who wanted to shove Medina down, if Tess didn't held her back from jumping to him now.

"Whatever. The two of you decided to hide a case from your boss and look what happened.."

"Cat, just wanted to push Sandler to tell the truth out of her . Until she could find more evidence to prove that Sandler is innocent or not.."

"Which she might be guilty. If the gun has her fingerprints and if the bullet was coming from it, then there's no way out for this runaway bitch..It's such an awful ending for a close friend..Isn't, Chandler? Always trying to keep your friends close.." He then, stared at the angry female cop here who felt like she wanted threw herself out from her partner's grasping hold on her. "But that's only if she survives or not.." So Lena is still alive, is she? But Catherine wanted to make sure from that fact. From his words, Medina went to the cafeteria to get some new coffee leaving the two girls alone as Tess went back to Cat's attention, after making sure he was out from their sight.

"I was going to tell you about Lena still being alive, but with the stupid rule here-"

"So Lena's still alive? That's what you've been trying to say?" Tess tried to continue her line, hoping it would be enough for her partner to rassure, which wasn't.

"Barely, when Medina and I came to the crime scene, there's was too much blood around. Yi and Pitt were quite still responsive, but as your girl, not so much.."

"What do you know about it? About the way Lena was attacked, I mean.."

"Dunno so much. But there was blood to the wall. I thought she got shot, but it looked more like she had hit her head pretty hard.."

"What about the door?"

"It was ripped off, like some hulk had come in. We'd probably check the security footage to see who came in, after I left Lena alone.." Security footage? It might be a good idea, but how much would they get from them?

"Oh God.." Catherine shook her head as she closed her eyes, in defeat. Her fears had come true, Lena got attacked by an beast which they were all facing trouble once again, all because of Vincent. Just by then, the taller female cop noticed that something was off with her partner feeling uneasy now.

"How about Vincent, you think he can help us.."

"Forget about Vincent, he's no use." Cat just shook her head, desperate, but frustrated." And I'm not defending him this time, Tess. I'm done with him. I think he may be behind this set up.." Tess gave her a long look as she stepped back a few steps backwards.

"You're not thinking that he would sent she-beast to try and kill Lena? Come on, Cat, you're not seriously thinking straight here.." But Catherine was serious as she opened up her eyes back. She was tired of crying and pissed off by one and single man whom kept on destroying her life, from what had guessed Tess. "You think he had done this?" Just unbelievable.

"Well, maybe. I don't know what he's capable of now. He's a changed man, Tess. Or more like a dead person to me now. He had no hesitation about coming with me to the two grave scenes. He may think of whatever he wants now, but I'm done with him, for good now.." And she meant it. Her partner just sighed at this. It was another loose, to take. They were on their own now.

"Ok, if you say it like this.."had followed Tess as she believed her or not, but Cat wasn't bothered at her answer.

"Where's Patrick? He should be here by now.."

"He's here with the ADA and behind you.." had answered the interested one behind them. She turned around to see an very shocked and exhausted Patrick, who did not looked any better than her. Ever since he was brought up to the station, Patrick didn't had the time to check up on himself, his blue coat was unbuttoned, his black shirt was wrinkled, his black and strings of silver hair was a mess as if he got awake from a terrible nightmare, or more like someone had snatched him out of it. It looked like he had cried, from his puffy and red cheeks, but that was before he laid eyes on her and her partner. He looked betrayed and angry. Despite, what he lived for the past few days, Gabe managed come with him to the hospital, hoping he won't make such a scandal in front of the lead female detectives here.

"Look, Patrick, now is not the time to make a scene.."had first started Tess, trying to defend Cat, but the broken man didn't wanted to hear any of it, accusing her partner of being all this.

"A scene? You think I'm making a scene by coming here? Your partner said she was going to anything to protect Lena!"

"I never said that...All I said is I needed more proof and the truth coming from herself, in case you were lying to me.."had defended herself Cat.

"Which you did..You forgot to mention that you used to have a short record, before it got away, you can ask Deputy Yi to clearify it. When she had you arrested, a few months ago because of some stupid fight.."had reminded Tess which made him shut his mouth as he looked back to the girls, pretty shocked. They had found his past record. Damn, he got burned by them. Patrick stared back at Catherine for support, but her eyes were refusing his needing for help, by saying this."What else do you have to say for your defense, Patrick?"

"And that's without lying, Patrick. Sandler's life is into a very and thin line here. We have three bodies from the same bar club, and your girlfriend may add up to the list, if she doesn't survive.."had admitted Gabe calmly, for the first time since he and Patrick had first stepped inside. Too stunned to speak, Patrick just couldn't believe it as he looked back to the three people waiting for him to answer or defend his word. They accused him of lying to their faces. But he had to admit this, he did not told Catherine the whole truth before, but it was to protect Lena, he did this all for her. For her safety and protection, which he had failed. From her stare, Catherine watched the man drop down on a chair, covering his face with both of his palms, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs, in silence and without a word to say.

"Looks like Lena's boyfriend might need a real lawyer this time and a damn good one who can defend all his lies about saving the love of his life.."had whispered Tess close to Cat who folded her arms against her uniform as she kept watching Patrick breaking into sobs. She couldn't help, but to feel bad for him. It just wasn't fair. Patrick had sacrificed everything to protect Lena from any harm, but to lose her, at the end? That wasn't fair, at all.

"I know that feeling far too much, Tess. Just far too much.." Gosh, she hated her job, at sometimes when you totally feel helpless.

...

"We should do this, once in a time, I mean going out, together.."

"Yeah, it should be fun.."

"You and I both deserve it, Regan. We both deserve it.."

Regan and Miguel had come back into their place after they gone out on a date. And boy, she never felt so happy ever since a very longtime. Ever since the last time, she felt so loved and desired, a very far and long time. As she dropped her purse on the counter, she watched this man would helped her to earn her life back, after facing an horrible dark place. Miguel, so strong, so loyal, so willing to help the people he loves and face the danger. A beautiful man underneath of all these hard muscles. She couldn't help to stare at him, taking his boots for him,wanting to kiss him so furiously, touch him everywhere, feel him under her..

Damn, she shouldn't be thinking about sex now. Yes, she does love Miguel and everything as well at the moment now. But sex was kinda scaring her off. It was the reason why she had to move away and come back here. She didn't wanted to live in fear for the rest of her life or making her son Vincent live in fear. But wouldn't she switch times only to get rid of that sweet baby boy like him? Never at all. And Miguel saved her. The both of them. He was her hero..

Someone in her past life used to respect her, only to become a prey to a beast and nearly...

"I'm so good for bed now..Phew, that was some date and all that wine makes my head go nuts now.." Regan shook her head vanishing all the bad thoughts away from her mind as Miguel put his boots into the closet. Their appartement was small comparing to the condo she used to have in California. A small living room with a flat screen, Miguel's flat screen. A big and large green sofa big enough for three people in it. A small very round table. A kitchen counter behind it. An guillotine window up of the sink. At the corridor, three doors were there. The bathroom, a room for her son and the last room was for herself and her boyfriend..Every wall in a blue light color.

A nice and quiet place. What else could she ask for? She took off her coat and drop it on the counter along with her purse. She wore that same black dress as she did the other night, before.

"You mean, a little wuzzy.." She grinned as she watched him coming right toward her, with a funny smile on his face. Damn, what a naughty latino guy, she thought as she stared at him and his muscular abs hidding behing that black shirt, were blocking her way. "Would you be coming? I don't wanna feel alone on that bed.." He stared to slip off that black strap down from her shoulder with his hands, slowly but gently. He was sure a nice boy.

"Right after I call my parents. I need to know that Vincent was put to bed and that everything went alright, after we both drop him there..So we could have a little time for ourselves.."She put her hands on his shoulders, telling him to hold back his move for a second with an amusement smirk. Hold your horses. Big Boy.

"You cannot choose between the two, right, Regs? A devoting mother and a very daring, but loving girlfriend. But that's what made me fall into you, Regan. The most beautiful and unselfish woman in here, Regan.." He pecked a short kiss on her lips, allowing his own to get wet before he could go on. "I love you. Regan. Te quiero, mi amor.." He replied between a few breaths as he kissed her for one last time before he stepped backwards, letting her go as he went to the bedroom.

Ahh Miguel. The romantic one in the couple.

Regan stretched her neck and noticed that she should wait any longer to call her parents and later, it was bed with Miguel. She whirled back to face the phone hanging on its charger next to the washing sink, when her dreamy and happy smile vanished to a very concerning one. Shocked like as if she got herself into a car crash,her blue eyes couldn't take off the letters on the window.

 _Whores always gets themselves punished.._

Written into a very deep and red paint, at the window. Close enough to be blood. But what was worse was the picture tapped upside down of the letters.

And that picture was a picture of six friends. All of them showing up their huge whitening and grinning smiles. Jeffrey. J.T. Vincent. Alex. Herself. And Ash. A few months before nine-eleven, the six of them took that picture on a daytime at some park, near the river. Before they all had parted their ways, before Vincent had enlisted, before Alex and Jeffrey moved from Benjamin's to NY's hospital, before J.T decided to become a biologimist professor, before Ash dropped out from saving the living people to the dead ones and before she left the city to California..

With _him_.

However she knew who took that picture and that person wanted to finish what he had started. And her friends, including Miguel and her son were next on his list. They were facing danger and it would be her entire fault, because she survived _him_.

 _He's not gonna let you go away that easily, Regan. He'll soon come and finish what he had started. The next attack might be the last and you won't be able to go through it. There won't be any other chances, this time._

Petrified, Regan had let out a chilling scream enough for her neighbors to wake up from their slumber.

...

...

Four hours passed ever since Cat had walked into the waiting room and still nothing new coming from the surgery room where they had taken Lena into. Tess decided to go back to the precinct to check on the crime scene, while Medina who had come back had stood up by the wall as his eyes were closed like he was in the middle of doing any breathing exercise. And from some weird reason, his presence made Cat feel uncomfortable. Something was wrong and wasn't a good sign. The silence made her feel not so great.

"I think, Patrick might need a lot of support from now on. Concluding the events of today.."had replied Gabe as he sat down besides her, glancing a look behind where Patrick was on the same spot. Just a few chairs away from them and still quiet like four hours ago, hasn't moved from his seat. That poor guy. "You know, you're gonna have switch clothes someday, or else you'll end up sweating like crazy..."

"Gabe, I don't want to talk now.."

"Things didn't went alright, with Vincent..From what I see.." Damn, just to hear that name made her think she got herself bitten by a such two-timer and insidious snake who left her an incurable poison, boiling through her veins.

"That's the thing, Gabe, I don't know what's right anymore..I feel like I've been tricked from the very first beginning.." With a sigh, Gabe scratched the back of his head when he put his other arm on both of shoulders for comfort. Even if she didn't wanted any of it, expecially coming from him.

"Catherine, don't let this get into you, you can do better than that-"

"Stop it, Gabe.."

"Cat-"

"I said; Stop it!" She gave him a glare look that froze him from saying anything else. "What would have had happened if it was Tyler behind these doors? Would you had let her down in a time like this, for someone like me?" Ouch, that one came out too fast. He tried to defend himself as he wanted to clear things out.

"It's not what I meant. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't let this guilt take over you. It won't help your friend at all." However she just rolled her eyes as she brought back her hair away from her eyes, like she needed to do something to handle the frustration. Or wanting to rip off her hair with her fingers, though.

"You shouldn't even be here, Gabe. Not when Medina could be guarding you from a far...He could use it as an threat.." She popped her head at the other detective as he let out a fake and huge snore, pretending he was taking a nap. The former beast took a look at him, as if it didn't bothered him.

"Let him use it if it please him so badly. I know that I'm innoncent, that I didn't killed Tyler in cold blood, Catherine.."

"Then, what was that scar, lying down on her spine?" Her voice shook as she was in the verge of crying. That came out of nowhere, Gabe turned his head back to her in shock, not knowing what to say about that fact. However, Catherine waited for him to explain. Hazel but determinated and angry eyes, were ready to snatch him out alive.

"Uh.." She scoffed at his short sure if it was an hysterical laughing matter to Gabe who stared at her, surprised by her reaction. She just couldn't believe it, Vincent and now Gabe, mostly when this guy next to her could had killed his late girlfriend, even when he wasn't conscious enough of his actions? She didn't know which one of them was worse than the other now.

"You did this to her and I mean, scarred her, didn't you? Put your claws on her, like you owned her. Well that's quite familiar to me, stating that you almost had tried to kill me, once.." She caught a huge hit on him.

"Catherine, I can explain-"

"Uh, Detectives?" had asked another voice coming through the room like it both woken them up. The three of them walked up to an very tired and built African-American in his early fifties man in blue scrubs, determinated to get any news about Lena's condition. ER, Dr. Anthony Anderson. He looked exhausted like he had spent all his life depending on rescusing Lena, like all night.

"What's the verdict, doc?" Medina had put his hands on his hips as he waited for the old man to add anything useful.

"Usually I would only talk to the family members of the patient, because what I'm about to reveal is not easy.." Cat turned her head back to Patrick who was still sitting at his place, unmoving, but still, he could hear them from a far. Patrick wasn't lucid enough to hear whatever the doctor had to say as Gabe managed to keep him away at the moment.

"There isn't any family member coming from Yalena Sandler anymore, but just a cousin and an uncle living in Chicago.."Nice try, buddy, she thought back as her attention was back to Dr. Anderson.

"And you are?"

"I'm Gabe Lowan, ADA from the District Attorney's office. More of an assistant's..."had introduced Gabe pointing himself before he he turned back on Cat and the other cop who were besides him."And this is Detectives Catherine Chandler and Santiago Medina. NYPD and NJSP are both working on a few cases.."

"Cold cases and a few new ones to come.."had let out Medina trying to hide a smirk, but Catherine ignored his remark and including Gabe's glare towards the other cop, as she followed."Is she in a serious matter, is that what you're trying to say?"

"We-We..Uh had managed to stitch her wounds, or I may say try to stop the bleeding, but that's not what we should worry about.."

"She's in critical condition. The back of her head got hit pretty hard that must had cost a pretty bad injury..Mostly on the back of the head, traumatic brain injury.."Cat continued to stay calm as she was trying to adjust the news that the doctor was trying to explain to both of them. She could sense that he was feeling uncomfortable from all this. Even from the experience he has around here, he felt very uneasy about this.

"Her vital organs were hit as well, like kidney and left lung but only because the wounds on the abdomen and breast were deep, more like a wild creature had come in. Bruises on both arms and legs, but mostly scars on her face..Almost beaten to death..If it were my daughter, I would have wanted to have that sonofanbitch dead..But that's not all of it." Like whomever had done this, had wanted Lena to be dead or leaving her into a paralyzing state she might even not recognize herself. If Lena survives this or not. "When she was brought up here, we weren't so sure of how much serious her head injuries were that bad. So as soon we were done stitching and bandaging her up, mostly her head, we've sent her up to do every MRI and X-Ray's to see how much damage it occured.." Oh God. "And as soon, we figure out how serious it is, we'll figure out if doing an surgery would be planned or not, but that's only if her condition stays stable.."

"We'll probably keep on checking on her heartbeat, hooking up to a ventilator breathing machine, brainwaves..Everything. Making her feel comfortable..Until we get results from tests.."

"What are the chances.."had cut Cat into the speech, not caring for other eyes to stare at her action. The doctor gave her a look, before he could say. "What do you mean?" That question was hard for Catherine to say, but she need and had the right to know.

"You believe that she could or maybe possibly could die?"

"Betting on my years of experience and from Dr. Neurologist Carlton Trowensky, she might." He gulped at their stunned faces. "Chances for her are very thin and with that brain injury, she may never wake up or even getting back to herself ever again. Trowensky believes that if Sandler's condition doesn't change into the next seventy three hours to come, but Dr. Trowensky, fears that she may have a closed head injury.."

"Then, what's gonna happen, if she never ever regain consciousness?" Her eyes widened in fear, at the answer that the doctor had replied later on. Anderson winced as he added this to her.

"She might end up, brain dead..." These words were like a death sentence to her ears. If she was that tough enough from the outside, Catherine was sure that she was falling very hard from the inside. Gabe looked back at her, concerned by her silent reaction. Pale as snow, but mostly from the shock. She looked like she had seen a ghost. "Catherine?"

But she didn't wanted to hear anything else. Like she had said to Vincent, earlier. They were done. Just like Lena's life was done and it all was because of Vincent.

...

"Where is she?" It startled the red haired woman by surprise, who was hidden in the bathroom back at J.T.'s place. It wasn't the hot water that was slapping her bare skin that scared her. It was Vincent bursting into the room and he sounded angry. Way too much angrily. Beastly like, since she swore to herself that he almost had roared.

She was taking a shower, after the event she had to go through with Gabe. What on earth did she had seen? They've told her that Gabe was no longer a beast after Cat saved his ass, so why did she seen it happening, in the later future? Tori seeked for help and it couldn't had been Gabe or Cat, since they didn't trusted her anymore. She went for J.T, instead. She knew she was breaking the rules by crossing a line by stepping inside of her old sex lover house, but what else could she do? And Veronica Vasquez? Forget this stranger who pretended to had known her late mother. Hair drenched and soaked despite trembling in fear, she turned off the faucets, both of them and grabbed a green towel from the suspender to cover herself. She stared at the door where she could hear J.T's nervous and shaking voice responding to an very angry Vincent.

"Hey, Big Guy, where have you been?"

"Where's Tori? Damn it, J.T, where is she?" She put an hand to her mouth hoping that no sound would come out while her other arm was holding back the towel from falling. That side with the scar on it.

"I thought she was stuck with Gabe? Why, did she fleed away?"

"I tried to track up the guy and he didn't responded. But a few cops on the street said that she went away with a cab. So, yes, I believe she ran away. So, one last time, where is Tori, J.T?" Damn, Vincent sounded like he wanted to break the house down. Even with beast mode or not.

"Don't know what are you talking about!" A huge roar between man and beast was heard in the background. Damn, Vincent was failing of keeping himself all together.

"She started all this! She did this to me!" That strucked her in a hearbeat. That was it, Vincent was losing it. He accused her of being a murder or even lying to him. To Catherine as well, when she only had tried to help her when she used to be a beast like her demanding father. The hurt inside of his voice was easy enough to hear.

She walked backwards to the wall, enough to lean on it as she tried to hide behind the bath-shower. Oh God, did they even have a tranq gun here? In the bathroom? All sudden, Tori felt that the other room went quiet. Too much quiet to her taste. What happened?

..Thumb, thumb, thumb..BOOM.. With a surprising gasping sound, Tori felt like a tons of shiver were penetrating through her spine as she stared in fear at the person who had walked in the bathroom.

"No, Vincent!" Her eyes widened as the bathroom's door slamed loudly into the wall. Her slim figure covered with a green towel, slipped down on the floor as she witnessed the scene. Paralyzed in fear.

Drenched from head to toe, his clothes soaked to his skin, but mostly by the humidity and rain, a very transformed and beastly Vincent was eying the bathroom around with heavy and deep breaths, or more like the other guy in him managed to take over him. Her breath was caught to her throat as his wild, but piercing and amber eyes turned up to her green orbs. A wild creature looking and hunting for a prey. Sniffing for air.

Fangs that replaced his teeth, but mostly veins on his hard face, no longer hiding through his features. Blind rage. He was hunting her and ready to attack her. She tried to run back, only to realize that her back was blocked to the wall, but her legs kept on pushing back. Hunt to kill. The Beast had come out.

"Please, please, Vincent!"

"You did this..You killed them all!" The monster in him made it easier with all that fury boilling through him. Oh my God. He couldn't stop himself from growling like a beast. She shook her head, fast in fear. Damn, it would have been easy if she remained a beast, she would had known what to do...

"No, please, Vincent, don't do this!" Ignoring her begging pleads to live and falling in tears, he approached to her way, dangerously as he growled. And a huge one, loud enough for her to never forget. She screamed in terror when she noticed what was going to happen next.

"No!" She watched him raising up an hand. Claws up ready to slash her out of rage as he growled. She bent down on the floor, curling herself into a fetal position as she was ready to take the blow to come up, until...

Something fell down on the floor. And hard.

"Geez,man..Now, I'll have to drag you out from the bathroom and on my own.." Did she just heard J.T's own voice now, what about Vincent? Opening her eyes up, Tori sat back on the floor as she brought her knees back to her chin, staring at the uncounscious lying form down close enough to her feet. Vincent lied down on his back with three darts on his left leg and boy, did he looked so fine and quiet like this? Still trying to control her breath, she glanced up to an very groaning and shaking J.T holding a tranq gun down to Vincent. He sighed back in relief when he realized his best friend remained motionless, before he let out something like this, when his glance went up to her and still angry;

"What the hell have you done, again?" Yup, he didn't looked so grateful to have her into his place anymore, not like she expected him to be happy with it. The only thing she was grateful of, it was the towel that didn't fell down despite the terror she experimented just now.

...

Catherine drove herself back to the precinct after she left ICU building of Benjamin's hospital. Very determinated and luscious enough attitude. She had to talk with Ward, even if it means facing her boss's frustration again. It was hard to leave the hospital, expecially an very bandaged Lena lying down on her bed. The doctor had told them that they needed to do other tests to see how far Lena's brain injuries were before suggesting to do another surgery. Anderson wanted to make sure, before he could decide if turning Lena off from the machines, was an idea or not. Damn, she couldn't even step inside of that room, since the word 'Guilt' was marked on her forehead, like she deserved that punishement.

Oh God, if it wasn't for all these machines hooking up to her,or even breathing for her, she would have been declared dead already. She and Gabe had spoken to an very sobbing Patrick that the next few days are gonna be up to him or whatever family Lena has left behind to make a step for her keeping in life support or even turn her off. Angela was too young to make an decision, Patrick was too distraught and depressed who kept on blaming and pushing the fault on her, for not protecting Lena. She and Tess would have to look and dig through the oncle and cousin left somewhere in Chicago, but they wouldn't be able to turn their only family member off from the machines. They would want to pursue and sue the Police departement for not helping Lena. But like Patrick had mentioned before: Lena refused any help from the cops, stating that nobody would believe her, since she took too many risks to protect her daughter away from Álvarez's sight.

And Óliver Álvarez? He can't not know if his wife was there, fighting for her life or not had thought Cat as she pushed the wheel, in frustration. Medina was laughing at her face while Gabe tried to protect her. Damn, that man was foolish, but she could see that he was worried for her. That guy could be declared guilty if he ever had killed his late girlfriend and here he is, worried his ass off for her. She made her decision as she parked close to the departement.

"Get two deputies to guard the building, don't let anybody come into the room, expect doctors and nurses. Nobody else. Gabe.." She didn't wanted to look towards him as her eyes had never left the glass, inside where an unrecognizable Lena was lying in bed. Cat felt like she was boiling inside and in a fury state. Was how Vincent had felt when he tried to kill her father? All that anger consuming him inside?

"Cat-"

"And put Patrick under witness protection. Whomever had attacked and left Lena for dead, may go after him too.."

"Cat-"

"Save your breath, Gabe, I'm sorry, but I don't need it now.." With a sigh, she left the building without turning back. The fact that Lena may never survive was still pounding inside of her head.

After she reached up the stairs and went up to Ward's office, she knocked on the door.

"Come in, Chandler.." His voice was grim and annoyed, but that was the usual thing when you had to work with him as Cat stepped in his room and closed the door behind her back, to avoid any saying coming out..Her captain was standing up as he foccused up on case, too much occupied to yell at her.

"I may need your permission on this request, Captain Ward.."

"After adding another body on your list of the possibility of having a serial killer on your hands, it's not a excuse. What is your request?" But what came later, surprised him as he dropped everything he was working on to find his best detective staring at him, very serious and quite determinated and stubbornly. She folded her arms against her chest as an act of resist cause whatever she would do in a few minutes later would change everything.

"I want to go undercover.."

 _I'm coming to get you, Álvarez, alive or not, you do not scare me. Just watch me.._

...

"Gee, what the hell had happened to him?" J.T was coming out from his bedroom, rubbing his eyes from sleep, wearing nothing but an old and used blue shirt with black shorts . Groaning. Damn, he needed a shower and some coffee, not hearing an annoying woman sreaming at his ear. This very early morning.

"Hear, hear, what can I do more to satisfy your presence, missy.."

"Shut up. Like I said-What happened?" J.T groaned at the person standing in front of the bar. It was morning already, he didn't managed to had a good night sleep, last night. First he had to drag an very heavy and drugged Vincent to the sofa after he tried to attack Tori and second, he had to hide Tori back into Vincent's old room. She stated after bursting into his place that she was losing control and that with Gabe, she didn't feel pretty much safe either. Losing control as an beast? Or something else? And it didn't looked like she fake it, at all. She was really scared by staying with Gabe.

And now with Tess? He turned his back to reach up an blue coffee mug as he groaned. She did look pretty even if she was in a bad mood today.

"You want the short or the long story to start off the day? Let's just say that he went Hulk state last night as he tried to kill Tori.."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Yeah, you heard. Vincent tried to killed her and I had to stop him, tranq him down.."He pointed up the coffee machine aside on the bar." Want coffee?" But she declined his offer as she sat onto one of the booth, dropping her head down to the counter, tired and moaning.

"You don't have scotch?" The girl needed a strong drink after she went last night from what J.T could had figured out. He shrugged his shoulders as her dramatic behavior didn't mattered.

"Sorry, ran out of it, since yesterday. Heard coffee is better to wake up.."

"Sometimes, it's even hard to wake up. Expecially from nightmares.."

"Like what? Waking up with a beast?"He meant it as a joke, but Tess didn't looked like she wanted to laugh. His grin was fading when he realized how serious she was. She rose her head back up as she stretched her arms as if she woked up and found herself here.

"Sort of..I'm sure you've heard about the girls we had found buried underground and Cat's friend that got attacked, last night.." He gave her a weird look as he started the coffee machine. Tess started to explain the situation of the case that she and Cat worked keeping it as a secret before it got bad. Along with Gretchen and the other girls's death and with Lena lying on a hospital bed looking like a dead mummy and hooked on monitors, breathing machines, brain waves..From what Catherine had told her through her phone, it was big a loss. Lena might be brain dead and Vincent might be the cause of her attack by sending Tori to kill her in jail. That was a lot to take in for J.T. Why would Cat believe that Vincent had anything to do with the attack? He was with her for the whole day! He couldn't be in two places at the same time.

"Cat's devastated by all this. With Lena's brain injury and wounds and believing that Vincent is setting her up..."

"You must be nuts! Vincent would have never and never had done that!" J.T was stunned by all he had heard, but wouldn't never believe that his best friend had something to do about it. "You said it happened so fast during the time he was with Cat. He couldn't have been in two different places at the same time! You've seen the security footage when that Sandler girl got attacked.."

"Oh yeah? What about foxy hair ball?"

"Tori was with Gabe the whole day and before she went up here.."

"And you believe that?" She scoffed at his face. "So you hide her, hidding the clothes she wore after the attack? Geez.."

"No! I hide her here, because.."

"Because of what?"

"Because Tori is no longer the same person here now! Ok? She's very different from before. Ever since the kidnapping thing, she felt like something was wrong. She couldn't even recognize herself anymore with the beast gone, she feels insecure and very scared.."

"And you brought her in? Despite, Gabe's warning to sent an injonction against her.." J.T raised up his arms as if he allowed to get himself arrested, for a stupid joke.

"Let's bring down all these bad walls for a minute, Tess. She came here, soaked from the rain and very scared. She wasn't here to see or to even look for Vincent. So I agreed, for now.."

"You're sure that she went straight here and not to the precinct, to attack Sandler?"

"Yes." Damn, it was hard. Tess just sighed, not sure if it was ok or not to believe him.

"It's not that I don't want to believe you, J.T. It's just ever since Vincent got shot by Cat, you've been taking Tori's side.." Ok, now he felt like he had to explode his own heart out, without Vincent's help. Again, a joke.

"That was before, I even realized that she had an impact on him. Beast feelings cravings on each other's stuff. I was wrong about it, you know?"He cut her off as he started to explain. "I felt so bad for sidding Vincent over Cat, without knowing the reason behind this mess. I felt like so bad for Cat later on, after she tried to save him. But it was only a few days after the hostage at the precinct, that I felt Vincent was quite coming back to the guy that I used to hang out with. The best buddy I used to know and missed as well. That whatever feeling Tori had on him had suddenly vanished and free from it.." He really did sounded like he had missed his best friend for long while. But for Tess, it wasn't enough.

"Free? Like he got whatever he wanted from her? Like satisfaction? You really believe that Cat would gladly take him back, after all the sacrifices she made for him?"

"No, it's because he end up.."

"It's because I was stupid enough to not had the guts to stand up for her..." A weak groaning and pissed sounding voice had interrupted them from a two of them were startled as they both looked at the lying form on the couch as Vincent's half open eyes were staring at them back as he managed to lift up his head, before he let himself drop down on the sofa. He had heard them arguing like an old couple. Damn. "I lost her because of that. But I had forgave her, a long time ago.." Guilt was forming up into him, no wonder Cat had started to hate him now..

Him being capable of comitting a murder of a person he barely had known.

"You may had forgave her about saving your ass, but do you really think, she's going to forgive you of whatever you had done, recently?" But Tess wasn't so impressed by his answer.

"Tess.."J.T. had started but she cut him off, before he could finish his line.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you're defending him, now? After his ex-girlfriend did to us, including Cat? Who had to take all the blame for both of them?" Tess turned her head back at J.T. as she pointed the hopeless and lying man behind them.

"Tori wasn't my girlfriend from the entire start, Tess.." had added the man still lying on the couch as he raised his forearm to cover his eyes with a grimace. Or more of how loud Tess could be, at early mornings like today.

"Right, like Cat wasn't good enough for you? Mind get your eyes checked up, won't be too hard for you, no?" At this moment, her phone had rang as if it did not give any time for Vincent to answer. Tess stared down at the receiver and looked back at him with a hard look like he was at fault for everything. "Speaking of Cat.." She picked up the call along with the unwanted coffee mug. Extremelly hot coffee mug and stood up from her seat walking away from the bar as she talked with Cat. Wincing, Vincent pushed himself into a sitting position, despite feeling a little groggy from the sleeping darts from last night. He rubbed his temple as if he woked up from an hangover. J.T circled from the bar and slowly walked right into Vincent's direction. He looked quite sorry.

"Look, Vincent, about last night.." But the former soldier stopped J.T right away.

"Don't appologize. You had to do what you had to do, J.T. It's not like you hadn't done that from before.."He cleared up his throat as he spoke this.

"I had to do it...I'm sorry, you were about to have Tori for desert, Big Guy.." For desert? Feeling a little shaken, Vincent stared up at J.T, his expression was dumbfounded as he was told, that he had tried to kill Tori, last night. He really had no idea, at all.

"What happened?" His friend just blinked at this. Did he just say that?

"You mean, you don't remember, at all?"

"You think I should?" Duh, like he would. It quite reminded him the time when he had these mysterious blackouts from last year. When he would beast out and wake up covered in blood, at one night. From these stupid experiements from Murfield, but thanks to a certain Dr Vanessa Chandler's hidden formula, it helped him to get himself back under control. But mostly, thanks to Catherine's love and her belief that she wasn't the one who caused these blackouts. That was a huge relief to him.

"I don't know about that, but all I could remember was you, being all beast up and boy you were a mess. You were looking for Tori and tried to..You know what I mean.."

"Where's Tori now, did I hurt her?.." J.T just pointed the other room where an petrified Tori locked herself inside and hasn't moved from it, since last night.

"Hidden at your old room. She said that she couldn't handle being with Gabe, that he was starting to scare her off which I don't know why.." How and why?

"Did she tell you, for what reason Gabe had started to scare her off? Because of the charges, he'd threaten her from coming to us?"Having no idea of the recent news of whatever Gabe's old demons might had resurfaced or not, J.T. sat on the table in front of him,trying to ignore a pacing Tess, holding her phone in one hand with the other held the mug ready to drop down on the floor. Right behind the couch where most of his computers were she was standing too close, to them."I don't know about that. Did something bad had happened with Cat, Vincent?" Vincent hung his head down, not wanting to say anything to J.T. That thought of her accusing him and those angry tears at the corner of her eyes. Locked into his mind, for good.

"We're done, Vincent. Done.." Her words were determinated and so full of pain. She couldn't trust him anymore. It was hard to believe that it was over. All over for them. Vincent didn't wanted to believe it, he couldn't do it. Because somewhere inside of him, made him believe he could recollect the breaking pieces back together. Somehow he still held on hope. But.

Here it is with Catherine again. She must hate him now. He shook his head in defeat, words couldn't express his thoughts as if they were blocked up again. But her angry eyes, they were still in his mind like as an punishement like he had deserved them. Haunting him for the rest of his life. And besides, he quite deserved that new darkening sight of her eyes staring back at him, after all the pain he caused.

Done, they were done and for good this time.

"Big Guy?"

"Done.."

"What?"

"She said we were done, but after Tess had called her about her friend that got attacked in jail."He looked back up at his friend, who still waited for him to follow."She believes that I've set this attack up, but how could I have done that? I was with with her the whole time..And I've cut ties with Tori, recently.." He admitted to the only person who could trust him now.

"Until last night.." Getting agitated, Vincent almost made a punching nerve back, as if he wanted to break something.

"You say that I tried to kill her and yet, I don't remember anything at all.." He was getting frustrated at this, he felt like he was back from the start, trying to remember when he just couldn't do it. Trying to stay patient, J.T looked up from Vincent and stared at Tess who was talking or more like she wanted to yell at whatever choices of words she was listening now.

"Look, Big Guy, I don't know what to say. All I know is that after I told you about that cop invastigating Cat, you took off with Ash saying you needed to make sure of how these girls had..You know, died.."

"At first, I believed it was from suffocation from air, since they were buried underground for I don't know how long..Until I discovered these bruises on one of the girls's body. At the arms and legs.." These bruises looked out of ordinary. He was sure of it.

"Maybe she got herself beaten up, at whoever had her killed?"

"That's what I thought too. And epileptic was option too, but I scented some bad smell coming into the autopsy room.."

"Bad smell? Mostly from decomposure.."

"Not quite. She was still in good shape when I camed in. Ash believes that she was poisoned, since he had found no evidence of struggle said that her death was too fast.."

"From axpshysia, maybe.." But Vincent shook his head. He heard Ash saying that he had found saliva and blood stuck through Alicia's throat, but he wasn't convinced about the abuse struggle. Ash knew something else was wrong.

"I don't believe that. I think there's more to it.."

"Like what?"

"Like I was able to detect that smell, when Ash couldn't at all, like it was invisible to him..I was the only one in this place, J.T."Damn, he could still remember that smell at that room and how it was nauseous and sickening. That gory smell through the air, like death had a smell. "I believe Alicia and the other girl were transformed into beasts, before they got themselves poisoned and killed.." If J.T was standing at this moment, he would have fallen down on the floor. No joke, for real..

"Just because, your other side did detect it, when Ash couldn't?"

"Yes!"

"Wait a minute! Two beasts? You mean someone got hold of Tori's beast blood and transformed two unfamous girls into beasts? I thought it was sealed away by the FBI and Gabe.." There he was panicking as he rose up from the table and pacing back and forth, to Vincent's sight.

"Turns out, it wasn't. Someone got hold of it and started to create beasts. Catherine believes that I may be up to something and sent Tori to finish her friend off, while I was with her, last night.." J.T stopped his fastening pacing and stared at him, with both fists on his hips. Surprised. He couldn't believe this.

"Damn, come on, Vincent. You've got to be kidding me. Cat wouldn't never think such of a thing like that. She's cop, I'm sure she's smarter than this! She must know that you are innoncent that you have nothing to do with this.." Vincent scoffed at this answer. His mocking laugh sounded more as if he was about to have a breakdown soon or later. He moved his hands up at J.T who stopped to talk for a moment, knowing his friend had more to reveal.

"Oh yes, she's smart enough, to think that I could sent her up by taking her away, so that my ex could go into the precinct and make all the way to the cell where her friend was held behind bars to kill her off.."

"The weird thing is that I couldn't find out the reason of how Alicia and Helga had died. It's like everything was blocked inside.."

"What about the poison? You think it might be connected to beasts, if there is some beast poisoning.." His friend stopped him before he could go on.

"Might be, since I was the only one who could detect it and might be the reason of how I went all bananas over Tori, last night-"

"The hell you did what? Cat, we don't have enough proof to put Alvarez behind bars, we don't even know the hell of wherever he is now!" Tess's yelling inside of the Gentlemen's Guild interrupted him. They both turned their heads to look at her coming quite close enough to J.T's mini office full of computer, as she argued with Cat. And she was standing quite close to the computer with the coffee mug threatening to fall off down.

"You go undercover? Inside that land of doom? It might take months or even years to figure out the problem in all this! Where are you going now? Hospital, you say? New York's?"

"You believe that jerk is even there?"Like it would. She sighed in relief as Catherine was explaining the reason of wanting to go undercover and track Alvarez. "Okay, I'm glad you're not going through this alone, so what's my cover is going to be? A screaming Beyonce Knowles?" The boys waited for an answer from Tess. But as Vincent waited, he could have heard her heart race at whatever answer her partner had gave her, through the phone as her eyes widened in anger.

Which made the coffee mug drop..It just slipped from her hold.

J.T had let out a scream, that quite sounded like a girl's that got herself caught by her father who rushed himself into the bathroom, to see her naked by accident.

"A what?"had yelled Tess as she completely had forgot about the coffee liquid that had dropped onto one of J.T's keybords of computers. Accidentely, of course, too much for the professor's poor beating heart and that was about to explode in panic, ready to pull off his hair and maybe yelling at the not so caring cop. But for Vincent, the computers weren't a problem to him. Too stunned to say anything and from what he could understand through the conversation, Vincent had sworn that he had heard from Catherine saying that she wanted to go undercover and avenge her friend's attack.

 _"I want to avenge her. Avenge Lena, Tess.."_ She sounded just like him. That blinding rage. When he had told her that he wanted to go after her father to kill him and when things had already started to fall apart for the both of them.

...

 **Phew, that was a long and tiring chapter for me to complete. I hope I did justice. Gosh, a lot had happened, Cat believes that Vincent is responsible for Lena's attack and wants to avenge her, just the way he had tried to do with her father. Tori got attacked by him in full beast mode, geez. Something is not right with Vincent. Regan's story is about to explain soon enough and the reason of her return would be explain as well. Poison? Who poisoned the girls? Is Vincent going to watch over Catherine while she'll go undercover? And poor J.T...**

 **Up to you to find out, Beasties! Thanks for the support! xpetti 4Bemer and Msolsun. P.S I hope my spanish is not so bad! Please sent a lovely review! See ya!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks Beasties!**

 **...**

"I'm sure, she'll make a great recovery.." The old blond haired woman had sighed in relief when she heard these words she so desesparately wanted to hear since she's been sitting at the waiting room with her two eldest sons, for hours. Thank goodness, her wishes came out true.

"Oh my God..." She couldn't help herself but to burst into sobs. She almost lost her balance to stand that her two sons had caught her back, before she could fell down on the floor.

"When could we go and see her, doctor?" had asked one of them, mostly the one with the wrinkled white shirt and beard. Álvarez believed that guy was more of the responsible one with a good job while the other looked like he had just started university by now.

"Too early to say for now. But that's because she's still is in the recovery room, and of course we'll probably have to watch her for the next forty height hours to come, see how her body is handling the transplant.." Álvarez managed to tell the short part of the story to the family, not that he wanted them to be scared or not, but in case for them to be prepared for the worst part to come. "Till now, we'll see.."

"You mean, there's still a chance for her to not adjust the liver transplant?"

"I know it's a scary thought, but I do want to be very honest with you just in case if her immune system goes wrong and if it puts her to any danger. And I only say if..." He checked down at his watch and cursed himself. He was late. Even if the surgery was a success, it took longer than he thought it have been. He was needed at the emergency section due to the lack of ER doctors and he couldn't be late for this. "Okay, listen. I have to check up for another patient right away now. I'm sorry but I really have to go now. A nurse would come up to you and show you the way to the ICU bulding. Gotta go.." He excused himself as he hurried away from them as fast he could.

Óliver took off his blue cap as he brushed away the sweat he held during the surgery. It felt more like he was holding his breath during a very long time. Stress was considerated as a deadly disease that he couldn't risk his life having to bear like anybody else. But nobody has a choice anyways. It wasn't the patient's condition that he was worried about, it was somebody else.

Yalena.

Damn that woman was nothing but trouble and quite clever than he had known. All these years living together, he pratically had no idea. He thought she was an weak person, the damsel in distress type, pretty cute and innocent waitress girl that he could use as an excuse. But she wasn't quite stupid. She took running with his daughter and had hid her away from his sight. To some place he hadn't the clue about. He was freaking out. The thought of his daughter being missing drove him crazy. Working out and working for hours were keeping straight with anger, but he also know for sure, that it won't last for long enough for him to keep himself under control. She must had known about his affairs, no wonder she tried to impress him by losing up the baby weight and when she found out, she had snapped when she smelled an woman's scent on the collar of his shirt. There was this fight and later on, she left him with their daughter.

She thought she could control things, but it turned out that she didn't had the power to do it. After the first struck, she told him that he couldn't or more like cannot hit her. That it wasn't right. But he did it.

 _"What? I can hit you.."_

 _"No, you can't.."_ She added this answer back as she stood her face up to him, hoping he wouldn't dare to do it again.

And the next thing, she had known was that he punched her again, only to fall down on the floor. He kneeled down to her height as she tried to sit up on her feet. But kept her from doing it so, putting his hands on her shoulders. Blood was running down from her nose, but he could sense the fear just to look up from her eyes.

 _"I make the rules here, Lena and you must follow them like a good and loving housewife should, since you do not work anymore. It's mariage deal. Fifty and fifty of it.."_

Like she could set her own rules for sure. He was the man of the house. He should be the one to make them. Not her. That's what he had been taught ever since he was a little child.

Damn those eyes. Lena was staring at him with fear, but also with anger as well and with at that was just the start of an nightmare. The last time he had attacked her, Angela had witnessed the scene with Lena's phone in her hands. Damn, she had set this trap up using his daughter by blackmailing him.

He always had the feeling that he was being stalked from a far, being watched whenever he was working. And then Gretchen ended up being slain, believing she was safe when her cover got blown. And later on, Lena ended up arrested, the next day. And from what he understood now, she was held in jail and was now on life support after being slain by an wild creature whatever they called. _It_ did it again. Where was she, by the way?

But what he was the most afraid of, it was the fact that she knew some secrets from him.

Damn it. Even in lying into a vegetable state, she still had known things and her scars would be exposed. But the one who had done them to her might as well be exposed too. Cops would be starting an investigation about him, about his lifestyle, his work, his affairs with the girls. His work at the dark time everything could be exposed and he would the previlage to ever see his daughter again. If he was exposed by anybody, including Lena. Damn it. He growled as he went downstairs heading towards the emergency section, like the devil was on his back. He met his lawyer this morning, advising him to not say a word until the leading detectives found something that could put his life at risk. Like what? Making him look like a monster behind this nightmare?

Tough aren't you, Lena? You really wanna curse me, even if you ever might end up into the other side. Would you still be able to look tough?

He needed someone to protect him from any harm now that he might be at risk. Someone who can inform him of any news he needed to know.

 **...**

Ash jerked up from sleeping on his desk, completely awake as someone burned him with fire. Or more like it was the phone on his desk that woke him up. With a groan, he pick it up as he leaned his back on his chair. However, he didn't got the chance to reply, because whoever's voice was on the line was angry enough to shake him up from his slumber. Way to start the day. Damn, he must have had spent the whole night at Evan's old office writing notes and had send Tyler's body to NY's hospital. Her parents must have had experienced the most horrifying moment of their lives by now.

 _"What took you so long? And where is my big french vanilla cappuccino, you've promised?"_

"I've never promised anything to you, Tanaka! I had work to do.."

 _"Liar! Always been a liar!"_ Damn, she was in a bad mood Tanaka and it wasn't any different ever since they had started to work together. A greek guy and a japanese woman together in one room? It would be like hell had made it self at home and on earth as well.

That's the reason why they always worked at distance. To spare any pain. Ash checked the time on his computer as he rubbed his face with his free hand. Past ten o' clock. Damn, he had spent the whole day, and mostly working on Alicia and Helga, the other girl.

He ended up receiving Tyler's test results from the second autopsy from what Tanaka had wrote him as an official report. It turned out that she was extremelly in very good shape, physically. No drugs or rape were found, despite that she had been kept in a fridge. However, Tyler was quite actived into sexual activities, mostly with a certain Gabe Lowan. The only man she'd been with, before she was shot dead, hitting up a few organs. Other than her heart being stolen, bruises and scars printed to her body were not a good sign. And like he had guessed, the cause of death was still blood lost ..Quite the fact, that Tyler ran out of blood when cops have found out the corpse. _"Anyways, how are you?"_ Seriously, this freaking woman was screaming at his ear for a minute and now she wanted to know how he was doing, at this time?

"Work. Well, I've spent the whole night and day trying to figure how two girls ended up dead, other than being burried six feet under..However, I found something else.." He rolled up his eyes. Both of the girls had died, being poisoned as he tried to convince Vincent, yesterday. Why the man was so interested into the girls's death? No idea to this fact, but he was certain to one thing. Vincent had known about Chandler and the way he looked up at her, it was like they both knew each other from a very long time. A past romance gone wrong?

 _"Still believe that they were both poisoned, before they died?"_

"Yeah. The two of them were poisoned with I don't know how, but I do feel it. Alicia died faster without any struggle, however with Helga, it was different.." He winced at this answer. He was still waiting after toxicology results for Alicia's case and it was taking too long. Long enough for the killer to come out and kill someone else again.

 _"What do you mean?"_

"It's not official yet. But I had found some blood stuck inside of her nails, which meant she must have fought whoever had tried to kill her. Anyways, like Alicia, she had the same purple ecchymoses on both arms and legs. Everywhere on their bodies, Tanaka. Skin color had gone pale, dry eyes, cetera...Sort like a person dying from AIDS.."It spooked him, when he had examinated the other girl, Helga. He stated that she had the same bruises, purple ecchysomes and body discoloration, however he had found blood through her nails. Which meant there was a sign of struggle there. There was no point to that. He was sure enough that both Alicia and Helga were poisoned and what kind of poison? More like a deadly disease.

 _"What about rape? I know you said that Alicia didn't had any sight of abuse. But still, ever thought they got abused or peneatrated against their will or not, since they were both sluts?"_ Nice choice of words.

"Don't know about that. I'm about to sent the blood tests to the lab, for a second opinion for the both of them..."However Tanaka stopped him right away, like she was discouraged by that descision. Leave the job for the real professional ones into the job, not the lunatics that are saying that the job would be done in weeks, while a possible serial killer might be out there to kill.

 _"Sent them to me, buddy. I'll fix your problem way more faster than they can do all united together. But anyways, I got the results about the bullet from Hermandez's murder. Remember when the cops had found the gun hidden under Sandler's bed? That they feared that it might be a match?"_

"Yeah, so you got the results?" Tanaka just cursed under her breath, having the feeling that things aren't going to be easy, either way.

 _"Yeah. I'm afraid I have bad news to share with you. The gun and the bullet; They are a match. It's confirmed that Sandler may had done it..Ash.."_

"And Sandler's going away by dying as we speak.." He heard from a few deputies the attack from last night and how Yalena Sandler was brutally attacked in jail. They said it had been caused by an wild animal had said the spreading rumors. The CSU team were working at the crime scene to find any possible evidence in order to confirm it. And what's even better in all this? Sandler was between life and death, mostly and maybe brain dead, by now. Everything was lost, the bad guy was going away by dying. But what about the person whom have attacked Lena, can they stop her or him from doing any harm to anybody?

He had heard Cat's loud and fastening steps on the second floor as she went into Ward's office and from he had seen was anger, but with mixed feelings stuck on her features and there she was, walking like a soldier on a mission. Woman on a mission.

Lost in his mind, someone else on the phone was calling. He blinked twice in order to shake anything out from any fantasy. "Uh, there's someone else on line two, Tanaka.." He saw the red light on the other button flashing up as in a hurry state. "I'll call you back.." He pressed on the red flashing button and groaned without even knowing who could be interrupting his important call with Tanaka. "NYPD, office of hell, how can I help you?"He rubbed his brows, annoyed.

 _"Ash!"_

However hearing Regan's voice was the last thing he expected. He managed to take her call without even noticing her voice panicking on the line.

"Hey Regs, you're not supposing to be into mommy day care now? I mean your old folks cannot always watch your boy, while you are into-"

 _"He's back.."_ That shook him up, asking himself what she meant by, but just to hear the tone of her shaking voice in fear. It said a lot.

"What do you mean, by back?"

 _"Check your e-mail account, right away and now as we speak!"_ Oh no. She couldn't be serious.

"Regan-" He went into silent alert mood now and he didn't like this.

 _"Do it!"_ To her rushing tone through the phone, he went back to his screen, who was quite full of open and hidden windows. Most of them were results, notes and reports, same thing were for his desk. Full of pictures, cold cases, reports notes, etc.

The black haired guy opened up another window, went through his e-mail account and logged himself in. A new e-mail had just popped up, at the moment he went straight in.

It was annonymous and in black letters. He clicked in with the mouse as the e-mail appeared on screen. His breath was caught into his throat as his eyes were staring at the letters with fear. He felt his body paralyzing, unable to move whatever he could touch.

 **Prodosia means betrayal, no? Traitors always get themselves caught at the very end, Ash. And it often ends with blood..**

"Oh God." And down from the letters was an underlined link both of them were black. With his mouse, he clicked it and another window screen appeared. A picture of them. The six of them all in smiles. Shaken, Ash couldn't help but to stare at the picture in fear as bad memories went back into him.

 _"You have to warn, J.T and Vincent.."_ Damn it. He almost had forgotten that Regan was still holding on the line. He shook his head, panicking as he had thought he had moved on from whatever nightmare he had last night.

"But they have nothing to do with any of this!" He really didn't wanted Vincent or J.T involved into this mess, they had other matters at the moment and the last think that Ash wanted was more trouble going around them. Until 'it' got to them too.

 _"No, but they need to be aware of it. Ash, he could put an attack on them too. Last night, I've received a message in blood, painted on my window with that photo of us. The six of us. And I do know when I see this handwriting, whetever it is on paper or at the wall. I'm certain of it, Ash. Trust me, when I say he's back. He's back and for good this time.."_ The same picture he was staring at it by now.

"Stay with Miguel and call the police.."He tried to advise her by doing the right way, but she couldn't hold the fear back. He imagined her shaking her head, moving her long blond locks with rushing tears falling on her cheeks.

 _"I can't! He's far too dangerous!"_

"Regan, you can't keep on hidding-"

 _"He's not going to colloborate or negotiate in anything! He wants blood! He wants to finish what he started, Ash and cops can't help me with that!"_ She cried through his ear, trying to cope up with her breath. _"I escaped him once and he had found me again. We need to come up with a plan, before he could hurt anybody else again.."_

"Regan, that's suicide!"

 _"Alex told me this nightmare would never stop unless I try to do something and I chose to come back here in NY. And now, that he had found you and I, we may need to come up with a plan..."_

"Regan..Just stop.."

 _"Or else, he's gonna come and kill my son, to make me suffer. All of us..!"_

The thought of her living through an endless nightmare was just enough for him to bare. Ash couldn't never forgive himself of the night when he rushed up to that hospital, where he had seen an very shaking Jeffrey sitting on a chair while Miguel was pacing back and forth, angry but awfully worried at the waiting room. Stained blood was on their clothes, despite Miguel's were black.. Regan's blood on them.

He still remembered the pain and shock that had penetrated on them both. That call he had after he was discharged from prison, Alex's crying voice saying that something bad had happened this night. He could still remember walking into the waiting room and while Miguel tried to ease his fidget by walking and back forth and Jeffrey looked like he was about to explode in any minute.

 _"How is she?"_ The words were almost as if he got frightened by a very angry and roaring bear coming up to him. At this moment, Jeffrey had snapped when he saw him coming into the place.

 _"Where do you think she is, by now?"_ The blood on his t-long sleeved blue shirt was enough for him to had found out on whatever had happened. He indicated his hands up to him in order to show the blood on them _."Don't you think that 'this' is enough for you to understand?"_ Ash had watched Jeffrey's hands forming into very tight fits as he stood up from his seat and went to his direction. He wanted to punch him, from the eyes.

 _"Jeff.."_

 _"You know this is your fault, right?"_ At this, Miguel stopped his pacing and walked up to them. _"Jeff.."_ But the other guy stopped him from talking as he raised his voice up in anger back him.

 _"What? Don't make this any harder, is that what you're trying to say?"_ And then, he turned back to Ash who tried to stand up for himself, even if he couldn't say anything else to prove his innocence. He watched Jeffrey raising a finger to him, accusing him. _"This is his fault! If he had the guts to denounce him from day one, none of this would have happened. Now Regan is paying for all of our faults, including a very dead guy and his stupid widow of girlfriend!"_ He kept talking to Miguel as Ash stood silent, knowing if he ever spoke, he'd only make things more worse than they had already become. Being the one in the middle of a circle of friends. The guilty one in the group.

 _"Jeffrey, stop this!"_ This time, it was Alex's voice coming to their way, but he ignored her as he kept accusing Ash. Stupid tears were gathering the corner of his eyes, but it did not stopped his anger from showing.

 _"Shut up, Alex! And it's too bad, that Vincent Keller got away with death, or else I would have killed him for having introducing a monster to us. A monster that used to be your friend, Ash!"_

No wonder Jeffrey didn't give a fine greeting to Vincent, like the others had done back at that bar. And no matter how long it took for Vincent to step out from the dark for whatever reason, Jeffrey was still angry at him, for abandoning them for years.

And where was he, when the attack had occured? He was in prison, after he wanted to denounce somebody who used to be close to him and to Regan. And to Alex and Vincent, mostly. Rumors said that someone was using drugs at the hospital that Regan was working and was about to be exposed. And that person snapped when rumors went out in public.

That person who had problems with drugs and wanted to kill Regan out of rage. He tried to do the right thing by denouncing him with the drugs that got discovered in the hospital, back at California and got caught into prison. Ash believed that he was framed, that someone had set him up. One day or another, Vincent and J.T would have to know about this story, soon or later.

"Okay. Go and try to contact Jeff. I'll try to inform J.T, you know how fast he can be with computers.."

 _"And Vincent?"_

"Dunno, about the dude or whatever he is by now. Regs, I've been trying reach him up ever since yesterday and he hasn't called me back.."

 _"Warn them about the letters and the pictures, even before it could reach to them.."_

"Damn it! Why, it had to happen, today? He'll never leave us alone! Never!"

...

"Dr. Álvarez! I need to talk to you.."

"In a minute.." He looked through the paper work he held in his hands and replied back the other ER doctor who was next to the patient sitting on a bench in front of him. The old bald and half naked man had an annoying face like he didn't wanted to exposed into this awkward position before an handsome blond haired and very muscular doctor like Álvarez. "It's just a few broken ribs, but it'll be better if he went to do some scan, just to make sure.." He headed away from the sitting patient to check up another patient, ignoring the nurse following him back, completely. What a way to spend the night here.

"Dr. Álvarez!"

"Don't you see that I'm busy, here?"

"I know, sir, but there's two attractive women waiting at your office and they demand you at the moment.."

"Do they have an appointement?" had asked the blond haired doctor as he grabbed another folder of an unknown patient and tried to look through it.

"No, but-"

"They can leave, I'm not taking any last minute patients. I'm full enough already!"

"One of them is a bodyguard.." That stopped him in a second, he turned his eyes back at frail nurse in blue scrubs. "I believe she had seen that job offer, you've sent at the your website lately.."

"What about the other?"

"The other is a doctor. Dr. Rose..She's been following her patient ever since she got diagnosed with HIV.."

"You said they were also attractive?"

...

The next minute, Óliver went back up into his office, oppening his door to see two women. The one wearing a red sweater with an unruly haircut tied up to a ponytail was standing on her feet, both arms crossed while the other was wearing an traditional asian dress, sitting on the chair for visitors, but when she turned her head over her shoulder to see him, he was flabbergasted by her sight.

She was a beauty, enough to take his breath away. That woman was wearing a white but short dress that ended on her knees's level with many great long but very pink flowers printed in it. Asian style, he had guessed. Her dark hair was combed into a very tight bun that was placed on the right side of her cheek, all tied up by a big and white lips were a deep red and magnicifent. Her breasts were just perfect, not too big or too small, just perfect. She was outstounding and they called her sick with a transmitting disease? She was more beautiful than he ever had imagined that he couldn't even take off his eyes from her. Hypnotizing was the word he tried to come out from his lips. Her eyes, they expressed desire and mystery and that black eye liner and mascara only made them more feline, like a sexy cat. God, he could feel his crotch go up, this woman looked tough enough to handle a fight, not too fat or too skinny. A little short, but even to this point, she was just perfect. He wanted her. All of her inside of him and right now. That was just unbelievable..

"Dr, Ólivier Álvarez, I presume?" Dr. Rose's voice had got him out from his thoughts. He shook his head as if he were under some trick spell and cleared his throat as he headed to his desk. God, he felt her watching him. He sat down on his chair, trying to make himself feel comfortable as he put his hands on his stomatch, trying to control them from shaking any farther.

"It is correct. How may I help you in anyway?" Dr. Rose who was quite a tall woman, probably because of her heels, mostly, had sat down as she brought the things that needed to be settle here.

"First, let us both say how much we are sorry for your wife being attacked a few days..It must be hard having to bear that feeling, especially when she was attacked in prison.."

"I know. After I heard she was savagedly attacked and she may be held into some unknown hospital for I don't know for what reason. That's why I panicked, I feel like I'm being stalked here. Cops would probably start an investigation about me, learning everything about me and it scares me.."

"I heard you have a daughter, somewhere outside from the country, is that correct?" Woah, that woman had a deep voice as he looked back her. Dr Rose's patient. A short lock of brown hair had fell out from her hair clip. That woman was just beautiful. He couldn't help it, but feel captived by her stare.

"To tell you the truth, I have a daughter. The most beautiful treasure that has been given to me. Ángela is the only main reason, I'm still living here and that I'm not losing my mind either.."

"And your ex-wife, in all this?" She added this back to him. He couldn't find any better answer to tell them both, as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Let's just say that Yalena is or was thinking by making me look like the bad guy as she stated to the Chicago PD that I had her beaten up, once or twice before. And took her away.."

"Ángela?"had followed the woman in the traditional dress with interest as he nodded. The blond haired man leaned his back towards his chair as he crossed his arms to his chest.

"Yes. She has gone completely delusional and wants to put the blame on me. After she left the city, I decided to move up here, for a new job as an surgeon and to be closer to Esperanza..And besides, the doctors here are well paid and respected than living in my old roots.."

"Why do you mean by coming over to be closer to Esperanza?"

"I wished I had more time to help her with the girls, but I cannot, unfortunately. Esperanza is looking for a doctor whose willing to help the girls with bruises.." That left Dr. Rose stunned."Bruises? They were attacked on the job?" It was her turn to ask the questions and he could felt that the situation had made her feel nervous.

"With bruises, I meant by possible transmitting diseases, like HPV, HIV or MTS. A few costumers complained to Esperanza about them.." He watched her expression go into wonder as all the nervousness had suddenly vanished away from her features, they were replaced by a very well known feeling called supscious. She was quite the woman who looked like the one who doesn't take well about a woman getting beating up for something she wasn't responsible of or even if it wasn't her fault. However, her patient remained silent as she continued to listen.

"Did she talked with them, about the complaints?"He winced at this question, trying to find the right words to say.

"Not only she told them, but had them beaten them up for their mistakes.."Damn, he could had sworn that he had seen flames rising into her eyes right now. A part of her was getting burned as she said this."Beat them up? My ears are not deaf aren't they?"

"No, you've heard pretty clear, Dr. Rose. I know it sounds completely crazy to hear it, but when the girls first came into the club, they were pursed to study a contract for at least seven or eight years and signed after agreeing every rule. No matter the rules, most girls wanted the job and had accepted the rules and most of them was getting beaten, but only if the customer files a complaint to Esperanza.." He tried to explain to the impatient doctor. "All of the girls agreed. Esperanza made the contract, so she was the one who wrote down those rules, the girls would have a roof to lounge in and would be well feed and well paid, if they do agree to the contract.."

"As long they don't mess around, everything would be just fine.."had said the quiet person in the place.

"Including getting attacked by its owner? The woman who was supposed to take care of them? You call that fair?"But the female was having none of it. It was just out of control here.

"Dr. Rose.."Her patient was acting calm towards the news, while her doctor was the getting almost out of control.

"It's only an fair punishement, Dr. Rose, there's nothing to worry here. Everything is all being taken care of. After the girls are left alone to their room, I often come to check on them, but since I seem to do more hours than usual, Esperanza would have to look for another doctor here.."Óliver had explained, trying to assure them both. The curly brown haired woman had asked back in return, her eyes checking every single of gesture he tried to hold back. Attempting to calm herself down from what she had heard from she couldn't believe of what the guy was saying, like he had approved this kind of behavior.

Without feeling any guilt or shame.

"You think, that your ex-wife had known about this? About the beating?"

"Since I've heard she switched identities and changed her appearence to look like Gretchen, everything is possible from what my lawyer had told me..And who knows what the real Gretchen was doing all this time.."

That was true. He had no idea what the real Gretchen was doing maybe she was sleeping around at the streets and had got herself killed at the end. But the fact that he wasn't focusing on the club made him look innocent. He had no idea that Gretchen who was under Lena's name that time was fooling around at the club, while Lena was watching him from a far. From what he had heard from his sources.

"And know, I have no idea where is Ángela or how many secrets Lena have kept from me.." Óliver felt completely helpless at this statement and that woman in the traditional dress hadn't moved her eyes away from him, like she was trying to look deeper into him. She was so breathtaking away. He really hadn't felt this way ever since a longtime which brought him to ask her a question. It was his turn anyways.

"I'm sorry, but I don't seem to know your name or even recall to ask your name.."

"No you didn't asked, it's true. My name is Ayaka. Ayaka Richardson.."

...

"So you're a mix.."

"Half asian, half american, as you can say. My parents had vanished away in a car accident, leaving me alone at the age of seven, jumping into foster cares places one by one." Tess didn't liked any of this stuff, even if it was Cat's plan to go undercover here, she didn't liked to know about the beating stuff into the club..

"How come a such beautiful creature like you, could have ended up with such awful life sentence, like this?" Óliver's choice of words were quite coming of from an romantic poet, but after studying him for a few minutes close, she had changed her mind anyways. That guy wasn't anything closer to an telenovela star, he was a charmer but mostly, an manipulator too. She only hoped that her partner knew that part too.

"Unprotected sex. I only found out two months later by my doctor sitting right next to me here. Dr. Cassandra Rose. I was completely devastated by the results of the diagnostic.."

"In only two months? What were the symptoms, Dr-Can I call you, Canssandra?"

"It's Dr. Cassandra Rose here..."had clearified Tess as she rolled up her eyes, annoyed. "Usually, the symptoms of HIV don't appear than only after one or two years. Or they don't come at all. Which makes most my old patients go nuts and let me tell you this. The fear of not knowing is the worst coming from them. When Miss Richardson came to her appointement for the third time, she complained about feeling very warm and had felt very tired for the last three weeks.." Her eyes shifted at Cat who stared at her back as if she was waiting for more words for her to explain." We made the tests, all of them to specify and a few days later, I had to tell her that she was carrying the virus status.."

"That fast?" The female cop in disguise stared back at Alvarez, trying to look the professional one here.

"Let's just say that the people that I work with are quite fast enough when it comes to sex transmitting diseases today. It's not like the early nineties where people thought they only had a few months to live. With the antiviral pills, Richardson lives and works most as anybody else.." She leaned her back to the chair, trying to stay still.

"But not everybody has HIV.."

"Quite true, but you like the idea of having to live just as everybody what's running inside of you, Dr. Álvarez.." _You got an ex-call girl who has it, so you better watch your mouth, you idiot!_

It was starting to become too personal and she hated it. When Cat had called her two days ago at morning back at J.T's place, she thought she was going to have a heart attack, without even noticing that she had dropped the coffee onto one of J.T's computers's keyboards. So shocked to explain. And even the fact that she got to be involved as an alibi for Cat. Dr. Cassandra Rose, what a name!

Cat explained that the plan had to penetrate into the club as an bodyguard with HIV virus but controlled move, which she wouldn't have to sleep with anybody. Cause as an bodyguard, you shouldn't sleep with the person you suppose to protect. She could watch and protect the girls, Esperanza and Álvarez, and expecially Lina. And then, who knows, trying to know what's going on with the club and becoming close to Óliver, hoping he would spit a few beans from what he knows, even when he's not around the club. Manipulating and making him fall into the trap of love would be way fast than anything.

And that includes, Gretchen's, Alicia's and Helga's deaths. The attack on Yalena was also to the list. On top of it, like Cat had mentioned her back. If Vincent couldn't help her out, she'll have to find the answers alone. But what troubled Tess, it wasn't how far Cat would get the answers is how Ayaka would do to get them even if it means that she would have to kill in order to have them. Even if they were any beasts around there.

Damn, without Vincent at her side, Cat would probably start to go onto a very dark road. No wonder how many undercover cops went completely nuts after a few years of work under the dark.

Oh, and the traditional dress thing? It was just an disguise to impress the handsome doctor. Cat had explained that it was a present for her thirtieth birthday from last year. Her aunts had sent to her as an special birthday present wishing all the best and happiness and honor as well that life could give to her. She never got the time to try it, until now..

The beautiful and very mysterious, Ayaka Richardson came into the picture, Cat's cover to penetrate into the club with fake ID card qand a fake living life style as well. Thanks Tucker. As an wounded female bodyguard protecting an suspect such as Óliver Álvarez, who could be responsible for his soon ex-wife's attack in prison.

Ayaka could be a very honoroble person when it comes to serve a king with such class with much of dignity, but not so much for Cat who would try to track Alvarez down, by using every clue that she would maybe find, anytime soon.

"Well, Miss Richardson-"

"Ayaka, no formalities here, if you want me to protect you. No secrets, so we going to be straight to each other here.."had cut off Cat before he could go on any longer, especially if she's going to work for him.

"Very well, Ayaka.." Tess felt like puking here, just to watch this..

"I do need protection. So much, I mean, ever since I heard that my ex-wife got attacked and been left for dead in prison, I got scared for my life and mostly for the girls working at the club along with Esperanza.."

"So you want her.." had pointed Tess back at Cat who was sitting in front of his desk. That jerk wants Cat to protect the girls, even if they are being beaten? "To not only having to protect you, but to protect the girls and the hitman?" He simply nodded, letting a deep sigh out as if he had to explain himself once again.

"Esperanza is not an hitman, she is just there to correct the girls from comitting any more mistakes and teaching them a lesson, they shouldn't forget anytime soon. I already had explained to you, Cassandra-"

"Dr. Cassandra Rose.." Tess didn't like this case already. Even as being a cop was hard enough, but testing a woman's anger towards the beat of another woman was something else.

"I'll take it.." That was it. Cat had made her decision and there was no looking back from now on. Tess held the urge to bite her lip from the inside, cursing herself in silence while Óliver seemed to look stunned, relieved, bust a little hesitant. Like a burden went away from his shoulders when a very calming Cat had gave her agreement. "Ayaka, I don't want you to make a decision in such hurry. Can't you, at least, try to think of it, again?"

"There's nothing to think of. I've made my decision, Mr. Álvarez and won't go back on it. You want my protection and that's it.." Her voice didn't had any slight of fear or any hesitant feeling through it, but it was more of an determinateness feeling instead. She was confident and determinated as ever and nobody would be able to make her change her mind. Not even her doctor who tried to not creak in disgust. He could sense that the two of them were close to one of another, like sisters. He just shook his head, not having any choice but to accept Ayaka's answer. His life was at stake now and he needed protection.

"Alright. I see you've made your choice and I can't make change your mind anyways. All I know is that my life is at risk now and I do need help. You're a very confident and strong willed woman, but also independent and beautiful, Ayaka. Willing to take such risks to protect the good people in this city.."

"Or the bad ones as well.." had mumbled into a long sigh, but Ayaka made her decision anyways. It didn't mattered to her whatever her doctor gave her permission to work even on the state of her condition. He could tell that she was worried about her patient's decision and wished he could, at least assure her, until he got beeped on the alert. Both of the women looked up at him, as he checked up his phone wincing at the call.

"I'm sorry ladies, but work is calling for me. This hospital is lacking of ER doctors lately, due to an influenza virus here, so they ask to professionals like me to do their work in exchange for the meantime. Just leave your file on my desk." He rose up from his chair as the female doctor looked up at him, curiously.

"What file?"

"Your patient's HIV's diagnosis report. I want to make sure if it's real enough.." he took a look back at Ayaka, before he added this to Tess's direction."Your patient seems to be perfectely healthy, Dr. Rose, but I do had seen much more worse cases about people with HIV. You see one of the girls have the disease and it can be dangerous, if it's not been taken care of.."

"You have nothing to worry, -"

"Óliver.."

"My health is very important to me, Óliver, but my job is almost risky as well. So, I know what I'm doing. Don't worry about it.."had assured the very beautiful woman in the traditional dress right back at him. So certain and quiet like a obidient human being, which was very rare to see in this city of craziness. He managed to form a smile to Ayaka and circled his desk in order to leave his office to go back at the emergency section. He opened the door and left the two female cop in disguise, staring back at him watching him run away.

"Did you see him running like that, Tess?"

"Yup. Just as if he was being chased away by the devil in person.."

"Pretty much." Cat stared back at her, looking up at Tess with an impressed smile. "You're very good at faking being all of the doctor worried expression attitude." Tess just shook her head as she rolled up her eyes, looking back at her partner with a frown.

"Yeah, I know, I'm quite a good actress to strangers. But still, Cat, I don't quite like this idea. I mean, you about taking those risks to put Álvarez down. You really think you can expose him?"

"One way or another, someone kind has to do it. Something is just not right with that club or the fact that girls are being beaten up from making a bad mistake when it comes to custumers. With Gretchen, Alicia and Helga being dead and Lena attacked, and the fact that they all worked at the same bar, it means something..."

"What about Tyler?" Damn, she almost had forgot about Gabe's late girlfriend into this. She has no idea about Tyler's situation. Could she have been part of this, as well? "You think, she was involved into all this, too?" It was a question to kill as the brunette in the asian dress just shrugged her shoulders as if they said anything that her partner wanted to hear.

"I don't know about if he had anything to do with Tyler's body being found. But I know one thing, Tess. I'll stop the attacker who tried to had Lena dead and if Álvarez is behind this mess, working alone or not, I'll turn him over. And it's gonna stop him from killing any other girls from the club too.."

...

Regan tried to reach up Vincent again through her phone once again, but it was no use, he was just unreachable. God, he has to know about the picture, before it reaches him on its own. About that it was Alex that had managed to convince her to go back to NY saying that she would feel more safe there than staying in California.

 _"You're never gonna feel safe by staying here, when he's still around, Regan. You need to leave. Go back to NY, you'll feel safe out there than here.."_ Just to look up at her, Regan could tell that Alex had cried after when she had tried to stop a fight between Jeffrey and Ash, back at the waiting room. With her red hair tied into a messy ponytail, wrinked blue scrubs had told that Alex had spent the night here along with Miguel, who was guarding outside of the room like a bodyguard should. It was the morning after the attack, Alex had visited her with the idea of moving away. She tried to find a sitting position into her bed, but winced through the pain coming from her left side. She hated feeling weak like today and in front of a worried person like Alex.

 _"Wh-What makes you say that?"_

 _"Cause I know someone that may be able to help you and I do know that he's still out there..I know, cause both he and his handler had saved my life once before.."_ She watched Alex heading up to her side, sitting on the edge of her bed and held her as if it told her to be ready for what ever answer she might have to face with and Regan had the feeling that she wouldn't like it.

 _"And who is this person?"_ She felt worried as the red haired woman was holding up her breath and spelt this out.

 _"That man that came out at the news a few days ago. Vincent Keller.."_ Regan just couldn't believe it. Alex was out of her mind she had thought back then, when she was still recovering at the hospital, after such brutal attack. Lying on her bed with bandages, those tubes attached to her body, including those to her nostrils, and with an IV tied to her forearm along with the heart beeping and oxygen machine at the background, Regan felt ashamed more like a burden to the people she holds dear to her heart. She didn't wanted to leave the city, but she couldn't risk her son's life or hers anymore. It was no longer safe. She took the time to recover and left the city with Miguel and her son, Vincent.

Much to Ash and Jeffrey's protests, whom told her to stay away, cause the city of New York was ten times way worse than California was. However, she wouldn't feel any safe, if she doesn't try to take the challenge, for once.

It couldn't be true. The Vincent Keller she had known was reported dead, killed in Afghanistan over a decade ago, but there he was outside with that heiress Tori Windsor, holding arms and looking like a couple. Everywhere around. How come he had survived? Luck, probably. Regan tried to switch her thoughts away from her old and stupid crush to the horrible situation she was facing.

He was back. Her obssesive husband had found her and wanted finish her off. And that means wanting to kill the others as well. Ash, Jeffrey, J.T and Vincent too, leaving Alex out of the picture. And here she was sitting at IL Cantuccio, at some table closer to the window, trying to finish her vanillia latte, alone with the fear of being found by her husband.

A friend of Vincent and Ash.

"Hey, Regan.." She gasped in fear as if a bombshell just dropped into the place, or it was more of a person who made it happen. She brought up her blue eyes up right to the person who made her heart jump in fear.

Speaking of the devil being resurrected.

...

Vincent had walked up to her table after he took a strong coffee cup for take-out and spotted the blond haired woman with a purple and long sleeved shirt sitting by herself close to the window as she kept on rubbing both of her arms, looking out at the darkness of the night as she waited for someone to join her by any minute.

He didn't expected her to see her scared. She looked like she had cried and looked petrified as she turned around to see him coming up here. She put a hand to her chest, trying to calm down her breathing as he stared down at her, trying to figure out on why she looked so stunned, but in fear.

"You okay? I didn't mean to scare you.."

"N-No, it's fine! You caught me by surprise, that's all.."She smiled as she put lock of blond hair behind her ear, as for an act of nervousness."I was trying to reach you up, either way.."Her heart was racing up into a thounsand seconds, but he could sense that she was telling the truth. But her expression didn't lied about the fact that something was scaring her anyways. What was she doing here at a time like this? It was late already and dark outside despite the joy and light that the coffee-bar was trying to bring up. Taking up a seat across from her, Vincent sensed that something was wrong with Regan and she tried hide it away. More like trying to look away from him, like she was feeling guilty of him, or more like for herself.

"If so, then why are you avoiding me?"he dropped his coffee onto the table,as she managed to turn her head away from him at that point. Gosh, she felt like she was right back into med school, hidding behind Alex's back like she used to do so, many years ago.

"I don't know what are you talking about..I-I'm-.." And there she was stuttering again, like old times when she could barely look up and talk to him. He sighed as he cut her off, irrated and quite tired, not because of her but because of Catherine's rejection was still haunting him down. Not that he tried to avoid that picture, he really did but sometimes it was getting an hold of him.

"Just stop mumbling around and calm down. Being nervous as you are now won't help, Regs.." he had sighed as he watched her turn her head towards him and kinda had regretted his words when he had seen her blooshot eyes right back to him. He could say that she had been spending all the entire night awake. He wasn't the reason of her fear, but someone else was. "Tell me, what's going on, Regan?"he had asked this time into a softer tone. Chocked with many emotions and paranoia, Regan just broke down, collapsing into sobs. That was it. She couldn't hold anything back as everything just went out. Somehow, he cursed himself for making things worse than they seemed to be. "Regan-"

"Everything, Vincent. Just everything is a mess.."

"What for?"

"It's-It's too complicated..Everything is just falling apart..EVERYTHING!" Vincent jumped at the surprising tone of her voice, not to mention that she almost had spill up her latte all over the table. It kinda had missed her phone who was quite lying next to the mug. He looked over the other tables to see if that small incident had bothered the clients for precaution, but none of them noticied anything since they were too busy into their own world. Good.

He turned his head back at her, not knowing what else to say but to feel worried about whatever Regan was facing now. She put her elbows on the table, as she tried to wipe off the tears off of her eyes and cheeks, her breathing was slowing down as well from what he had remarked. He remained silent giving her the time to answer, as she tried to control her breathing.

"All I know..Is that's he back in town.." And probably to finish her off, but Vincent didn't know that part yet. "And for good, this time.."

"Who's back, Regan-" However his phone had interrupted that moment. Damn, when he thought he was getting more closer to the problem. He brought up his phone to see that it was J.T calling him now.

"Take it. It might be important.." Regan's voice broke between her unwanted tears and breathing. He looked back up at her, worried and right back to his phone as he took the call close to his ear. "Hey, J.T.."However J.T. cut him off right in a panic mood.

 _"Where are you, now?"_

"Umm, taking a coffee break?.."

 _"You were not supposed to look for Cat?"_ He hear Ed's barking at the background and boy that dog was getting very loud enough like he wanted to talk on the phone as well. " _Sit boy_ _!_ "

"I am, but I'm taking a break and I found Regan.."

 _"Regs? Oh God.."_

"J.T.."

 _"You mean you don't know?.."_

"What's going on?, J.T?"

 _"Get back home.."_

"What you-"

 _"JUST GET YOUR ASS BACK HOME!"_ Vincent had put his phone away from his ear as J.T's squeaky loud voice could be heard, yelling like the manic like he knows. He winced at the pain as he slowly continued to listen up to J.T who kinda tried to calm down _."And bring Regan with you, as long you're it!"_ And hung up, not taking an no for answer. "Now, I'm very confused.." he nodded back at his phone, stunned like a idiot. First it was Catherine's rejection cutting all ties with him and for good. Him attacking Tori who was quite half naked at the shower, right back at J.T's place, for no good reason from what he could remember. Not remerbering anything the next day. That smell at the autopsy room and him being unable to detect the events of the crime scene like he used to do so as a beast. Regan was right in one part, everything was just falling apart right now and he had no idea why.

"It reached up to J.T. too.." He looked up at the shaken woman who stared down at the table, unseeing what was in front of her. Regan tried to swallow back her tears, but couldn't stopped her shoulders from shaking.

"What?"

"The picture. The six of us were there with Alex on it at some camping. I received it, last night. The same thing happened to Ash, at noon and now, it's J.T's turn. Jeffrey may have had it and it might be your turn too, Vincent." He got more confused at this point. Something was not right.

"What picture?" It couldn't get any better than this. Regan brought up her purse to her knees as she pulled up the zipper. Vincent watched her taking out an picture who was inside of an plastic bag and slid it down on the table to his direction. His eyes widened. Oh God, that was him and almost ten years ago? J.T, Alex and all others were there as well all in smiles. He examined the picture a little bit more closely as a couple of flashing mermories went through his mind.

It was a few days before he entlised to the army, all of them have gone into the woods to camp and had light up a firecamp as well. To wish him good luck thing and get high. Despite that things were bad for him and Alex, they managed to to have last one minute of party by playing soccer, telling haunting stories, laughing and drinking like stupid teenegers.

However for Regan, who wasn't quite used to drink, had slept for the most of the night while the others were laughing with their beers, as they surrounded a very strong fire camp.

 _"Damn, that fire is gonna kill us here!"_

 _"Ask Vincent to wipe it off with his ass! I bet twenty bucks that he could do it with both eyes closed, Ash.."_

 _"Hey, you leave my ass alone!"_

 _"Why? You think you might not be able to handle it? I mean fires in Afghanistan are way more worse than here!"_ Damn, that Jeffrey was challenging him and really like it from what he could see through the darkness of the night and through the flames. _"You need to get prepared! Keller!"_ he took a sip from his beer as his eyes were laughing at him. Offended despite feeling drunk, Vincent tried to jump at him, but Alex who sitting next to his left side, had held him back with her elbow trying to push him back to his seat.

 _"Oh really? I'd like to see you wipe off a firecamp as well, if you weren't some chicken, Jeff!"_ Damn the flames were too close and he could get himself burn, but that didn't mattered to him. Alex tried to remain her hold on his chest as she kept on pushing him back from a very mocking Jeffrey who sitting across from him and the fire being caught in the middle of them.

 _"Don't do this here, Vincent, he's not worth it, really. Just stop being such a hothead for once!"_

 _"Yeah, why don't you go and listen to your fiancee or your ex-fiancee but friend alley? If it's what you guys are calling yourselves now?"_

That guy. Jeffrey was a jerk and would always be a jerk, but somehow he was quite right in some point. The break-up was quite hard for the two of them, but they decided to remain friends for the time being. Vincent stopped to fight and sat back down on his seat as he stared back Jeffrey with a hard look. He was stressed about getting enlisted to war, but he had already made his decision and won't go back on it. Despite what others would think, he wanted to avenge his brothers who had died back at the towers as they were trying to save the people out there.

 _"Guys, we shouldn't be fighting in a time like this, we should be celebrating. One of our own would become a hero by joining the forces here and needs our entire support here!"_

 _"Yeah, I agree with J.T here, let's stop fighthing and get more drunk. I'd like to see you losing your pants, J.T!"_

 _"Really funny Ash, really funny!"_

Thanks to J.T and Ash for coming to the rescue.

 _"Let's just hope that Vincent would come back home in one piece. This country needs more heroes alive than dead ones on this earth.."_ However that sentence had left him uneasy. Who was that person? This voice had belonged to a man, Vincent was sure of it. He remenbered the voice, but the picture wasn't available into his mind as if the person was still blurry and unrecognizable to him. Damn, it made him frustrated, he thought he had managed to get his memories back as it did with Catherine, but the puzzle still remained unfinished and he was afraid of what he may have to discover soon.

Regan said they were six. The six of them were there at that night, if so then why he had heard a seventh voice coming inside of his memories? He thought hard enough to find an evident answer, watching the picture with a eye of a beast. He put his left hand on the picture while his right hand was forming into a very tightening fist, tight enough to hide the forming claws from exposing. The last thing he wanted to do was to beast out in front of Regan and to everybody else here. Lost into his thoughts, he traced the man he used to be with his caloussed fingers, until something had finally clicked in.

"Vincent?" But Vincent ignored her worried tone as if he had found something he has been looking for a very longtime. There was a seventh person somewhere into the picture, he knew it. The seventh person was the one who took the picture.

...

"Would you explain to me of how Tori survived the kidnapping, Lowan? Cause my head is getting a little dizzy by now and I don't mean the prison walls here.."Gabe just rolled up his eyes annoyed. It's been two days he last seen Catherine and a few days since he got accused from Medina and Tyler's parents about her murder. He hadn't gone to work today since his lawyer told him to play nice and quiet, but to go home and rest. That means watching Tori. He wored a simple cashimire and black coat, an grey shirt and black pants as he got to Rikers's prison. To see an very irrating and so-called Bob Reynolds.

"I have no explaination to say, all I know for sure is that you ended up killing Tyler in cold from what Tori had told me.."The thought of her saying that Tyler was killed by Catherine's real father was running into his head.

"Your subject just knew far way too much and tried to steal something that was meant to be destroyed all those years ago.." How dare he would go and call Tyler a subject? He really had cared for this woman, despite the beast who used to make things hard for the both of them.

"Tyler was my girlfriend and had known the consecqences of trying to save a beast.."

"And that meant killing another beast..."Gabe just shot him warning glare as he reminded Tori's words right back in to the prisoner.

"And the same one who saved Catherine all those years ago, don't you forget about that. If it wasn't for Vincent, you wouldn't have had the chance to meet your daughter. You own this to Vincent, despite what you're thinking of him, Reynolds.." So it was true, Reynolds just sighed in defeat. If it wasn't for Vincent, he wouldn't had meet his daughter at all. She wouldn't even be alive today, if it wasn't for a beast. Hidden beast from the shadows.

"How's Catherine? I hadn't seen her for a while now.."He couldn't just believe this. Gabe just scoffed.

"I had no idea. Captain Ward had told me that she went on a vacation for a month or two, but to which destination? I have no clue. The last time I have seen her was back at the hospital.."

"What? What happened? Nothing serious?"Reynolds looked back at him, questioned as if, but the darked haired man assured him that it wasn't what it seemed to think of.

"No, I didn't mean in that way. She looked very devastated.."

"About Vincent?"

"No. About a friend. A friend from her class who couldn't have made to the reunion a few months ago. Tess had found her uncounscious inside of her cell in blood..It looked like she got attacked by a beast.."That stopped the silver haired man from moving as his blue eyes stared back the very tired and pissed ADA.

"Say what? Don't tell me-"

"No it wasn't Vincent since he had spent the whole day with Catherine. However I'm not so sure about Tori attacking her anyways. The victim's wounds looked like they were made from a male. Mostly a man or a wild creature. According to the forensic team." Another beast in town? Other than Vincent, he had no clue about others beasts walking around the city and free.

"You have a name?"He meant by going back to Catherine longtime friend.

"Yalena Sandler, she has been on the run for a while trying to watch her ex-husband from a far.." Reynolds had heard about the woman that got attacked at lunchtime whom the cops had arrested for the crime of an prostitute named Gretchen Hermandez. However he had no clue that she and Cat were friends, a few years ago. Looking up at the policeman who was guarding his cell, he waved his hand back at Gabe as he wanted to tell him a secret. The dark haired man made a few steps to the bars as Reynolds held them, worrying that he would be heard by walls here. His blue eyes looked back at Gabe as he said this.

"Lowan, I need you to get something. Get rid of something away from the house that concerns to be very important. And make sure that nobody, cops or Catherine get into it.."It must be about that house at Mantuk that was going to be sold soon. A few of Vanessa's things now belonged to Catherine and to her sister, but there were others secrets that he wouldn't want them to know now. Deadly secrets.

"What is it?"

"It's very confidential and when I mean confidential, I mean it's a family matter. It means that it has to be far away from Vincent's or Catherine's hold. Go to that house and you'll found out."

"Why for?"That left Gabe confused. What the heck, Reynolds was referring about? Was it about beasts?

"Because it's dangerous for them to know. Just get rid of _them._ I don't care if you want to burn them, just get rid of _them_!"That was just too much. He had said too much now and hoped that Lowan would get hint.

"Reynolds.."

"You love my daughter, don't you?" Gabe blinked twice at this answer as if the ex-FBI Agent had discovered about his feelings for his daughter and how far he would go for her.

"It's not that-"

"Just do it and get rid of it!" That shocked him. Gabe could see that Reynolds was starting to panic at whatever was going to be found at the house. Probably some secrets about beasts, threatened to be found, in anytime soon.

...

Tonight was a busy night for Lina and for the girls as they waitressing or more like they were struggling to bring up the drinks at tables, Loud music, smoking cigars at the air, Eva and Anna were both doing their jobs. Seducing. Paid to seduce every man who would them, despite theirs age, young or even old. Olga and Natasha were upstairs with the new kid, Kayla and sounded like they were having fun with the loud moaning and disturbing voices that could be heard from the celling, too much for Lina's displeasure. She groaned at these noises and cursed them for being immature and naive. They were young and immature, she corrected herself. However, if they get themselves in trouble one day and Esperanza would take care of that.

One day, they'll know the pain.

"Soy demasiado viejo para esta mierda, urgh.."That woman's voice came out from the underground where her work place was. Lina groaned in disgust, not only she had known Esperanza, but this woman used to beat her up hard, when she found out that Lina was heard to be sick from a client. She watched her sillouette coming to her way.

"In english, please?"

"¡Cállate! ¡Necesito un cigarrillo en este momento!" That chica still refused to take orders from others as she leaned on the bar with her arm who was covered in red scars, giving Lina a pissed and hard look back. But the ex-call girl wasn't impressed by the attitude as she cleaned up the bar with a purple rag, not caring if the old mujer would snap or not.

"Ask Eve over there.."She referred over the tables, to the fake blond haired woman in a purple tank top who was sitting on a old man's knee and with a red haired woman in a messed pink shortened dress, sitting on his other knee. Laughing at whatever the old man had said to them. The very famous Esperanza turned her head back at Lina, revealing to be a young woman in the middle of her forties with a very bright and curly long brown hair falling on her shoulders with heavy and smoking make-up on her eyes and lips. That made her look more older than she already was and more like she was reaching up to an expired date, like a ghost. Her big implants were barely hanging on like a milking cow would look like and the tank top didn't help them to hide. She wore a V-neck golden print tank top with spaghetti straps that went with her blue and skinny jeans along with her black four inches of heels. Despite the cold. A quite tall woman, despite the heels that had offered Oliver for her last birthday.

Known for her bad and severe attitude, Esperanza Herrera had the club on her name once, but ever since her father's inheritance of money had dropped since she first started this club and how much she had invested into bad people whom ended up stealing from her, she had called an old friend to help her out.

Óliver Álvarez.

He took care of the financial problems and put everything on his name, money, bank, food and the girls he presented to Esperanza while she took care of them, even allowing her to make the girls of how the girls should be 'corrected'. The contract, she'd made up and made the girls sign it. She felt way better now that the pressure had vanished from her shoulders, that she could count on Oliver's help. The only job that she has to do now was the correction job. La Tortura background, she'd called.

But she was seriously considering on taking the rest of the money and leave. Which means all the bar's fonction would be on Lina's hold, soon after she'd leave the city. And Lina would more than happy to see this witch leave. Everybody has an expiration date and so does she.

But if Esperanza wanted to leave, she'd needed an remplacement to correct the girls, if they ever do any stupid mistake that would make a customer go mad. Yes, even if she had to leave, the rules stay just the same as they written and marked on paper.

"Give me a Bloody Mary drink, nena?"had yelled Esperanza through the crowd and loud music with an accent, through her english speaking voice which she still wasn't used to it.

"Unless you have a license card, which you don't, I'm not serving you anything.."She put the drinks on her disk, trying to push them away.

"Come on, Ji Yeon!"

"Drop the fantasies, it's not gonna happen.."Keep your eyes down, Lina don't let this bitch take hold of you.

"You want me; out of here, don't you?" The south korean and ill woman just stopped whatever she was doing and looked up to see Esperanza's very mocking eyes.

"I'm not saying that. With Gret-Lena that got attacked recentely, we need to be more careful from now on. I heard that cops may open up an invistigation about all of us here.." They were only spreeding rumors, but they could also come true as well and Lina wasn't so sure if she liked the idea to start looking up from her shoulder, fearing that some uniform officer would come and arrest her. She didn't wanted to die in prison, if it would ever happen.

Lina was ready to embrace Death, no wonder she started to work on black clothes, wearing a short black top dress that looked a little too big for her frail and slim body from the sickness damage and her strawberry short cut hair all brought up back to her head with gel. She brought up some purple eye shadow to make her feel more alive and beautiful from the outside than she felt inside.

"And besides, if you want to leave the club, you might need someone else to replace you. You can't leave without somebody taking care of your buisness.."However, the brown haired woman laughed at this answer. Quite a very wicked laugh to resume as the barmaid stared back at her, waiting for her to explain the reason of her laughing.

"I have that being taken care of and you shouldn't even worry about this pequeño detalle. Óliver called and said it was being taken care of, that he was sending her right up here, in this instant now and.." Well that was new to hear. With a hand on her left hip, Lina tried to to see clear with this situation.

"And, what?"

"She makes him go crazy with her charm... "Ella lo vuelve loco con su encanto…" Crazy? Óliver going crazy because of an woman?

"Crazy, you say? Do you have any idea of who she is? This mysterious woman?"She took her disk and tried to walk away from a very laughing Esperanza.

"Why don't you go and ask her, by yourself?" Lina followed the pointing finger from Esperanza to the entry of the bar, where a short brown haired woman wearing an asian type and white dress with pink flowers was making her way inside the bar, looking around the place like she wasn't sure to whom she should ask directions and clutched to her small purse as if it was to protect her from harm. She was quite breathtaking looking like a cat, no wonder she made Óliver go nuts, he was captived by her beauty and charm from what Lina could see from a far. But when she got a close peek to the woman's eyes, she nearly had dropped the drinks from her hold.

Lina had the strange feeling that she had seen this woman from before. These haunting hazel eyes. They were strangely familiar. Way too much familiar.

...

 **Phew..That was quite of an difficult chapter to write and finish. Now you guys had meet Óliver and Esperanza and you know by now who is Ayaka, no?**

 **Regan's past is half way to be spoken and she would have to come out with the truth, now that Vincent remembered something important about that picture. Not all memories are good to remember, don't you think? As for Tess, it looks like she has seconds thoughts on this case, but Cat is certain enough to take the challenge, should Vincent come into the club to help her out or would he make things way worse for her? Damn I wouldn't trust Reynolds, either.**

 **Thanks for the support beasties, xpetti-4Bemer, susannah65 and Msolsun. I'm trying to get better with spanish lately, I hope, I didn't suck at it..**

 **Please sent a review! Ciao!**


	16. Chapter 16

Strucked like she got electrocuted by thunder, Lina watched the small figure coming toward all the way up to the bar. Her eyes widened in shock as the woman was passing them in all lost wonder, until Esperanza called her behind.

"Hola niña, are you lost?" The asian woman stopped her move and turned her head back at her. If Lina could had an heart attack now, it would be the right time now. These eyes, that white rose flower hanging on the left side of her hair tied into an magnificent bun. That dress..Such beauty, but with passion. No wonder Àlvarez got himself under her spell so fast. This woman looked strong enough, like she could handle a battle, walking like a soldier, despite her small height. She had known that woman from before and she wasn't imagining anything wrong at all. That was the female cop from the other day.

"I'm sorry?"

"I've said if you were lost, maybe my girl and I could help ya here.."

"Yes, I'm sorry, I'm looking for a certain Esperanza here, about the bodyguard job here.."

"And you are?"

"Ayaka Richardson, I'm here for the job.." Esperanza took a look to the new girl as she looked from down to Ayaka's head, not impressed at all.

"So you are Òliver's new girl?"

"New girl?"

"He always had a special thing when it comes to meet new things around, expecially when it comes to new girls in town. He believes he owns them when they come up here.."

"Just to let you know this.."had replied Ayaka back before the mocking woman could follow. "I don't belong to anyone here, but to my own person. Just to be clear, here, I came on my own free will. I'm not for sale." Brave talk. Lina stood silent at this answer as she watched Esperanza moving towards Ayaka's height who was standing tall with her black heels, more like a solider's position. The older woman took a look at the new girl, looking quite impressed but not as much as she let seem from her features. Patientely, Lina continued to look at Ayaka with guarding eyes as she waited for Esperanza to answer or to say anything back.

"You look very willing and determinated, young niña and that's something I always look forward into a person. Quite tough enough. Even if the job might be a lot to be excepted.."

"What do you mean, by that?"

"Not only you would be protecting Àlvarez and the girls here, you'd be doing a lot of other stuff in here as well. Since I'd be moving now that I have found my new replacement.." Ayaka blinked twice at this point. She looked back at Lina who shook her head back as if she wanted her to reconsider the job and she looked alarmed. Do. Not. Take. The. Job. However, Ayaka managed to remain still, not letting anything go away from her sight as she looked back at Esperanza, who kept on waiting with her arms crossed to her chest.

"What for?"

"Hitman job is included into the whole bodyguard work. You gotta have to teach the girls a very good lesson, when it would come to _correct_ them.." Ayaka was stunned at this, but Esperanza knew what she was thinking, as she followed;

"Si, you gotta have to _beat_ them up, if a customer complaints to you for the bad service, _mi hija_..."

...

"Vincent, where are we going?"

"Stay behind me.." Were the words coming out from his lips as they both walked halfaway to the houseboat in the middle of the night. Speed walking to clearify. Last thing Regan remembered was being dragged away by Vincent, who still held a good grip on her hand that started to hurt now. Boy, he looked angry, more pissed of kind. What trigged him with the picture? Did he noticed something in it, that got him mad?

"You stay here and guard the door, I'll be right back.." Her eyes widened in the dark. All alone in the dark? She has no idea of what he was talking about.

"But-"

"Stay, I said." He had cut her off with a order sounding voice as he looked back at her, frustrated as he managed to hold back the anger inside of him. Frightened, Regan watched him as he fidgeted with his keys when his shoulder touched his door and had opened on its own. Stunned, Vincent stood still as he peeked through the place to see if it was burgled. Everything seemed to look fine, nothing was moved or taken away nor of any sign of struggle was there. That's what he thought, until he brought his eyes down on the floor where he saw a long trail of blood from the entry to the stairs that led into his bedroom.

Someone made its way up here.

"Vincent?" He ignored Regan's voice, as he stepped into the houseboat, like a preddator. He was careful to not leave any fingerprints or any footprints, but since it was his place to live, he'd have to deal with it, either way.

"You stay there and don't move.."He said back but more as he was whispering as he walked upstairs following the blood trail. As he stood on the last step, he closed his eyes as he inhaled in, trying to track the intruder with his beast senses. But, just like it happened at the two graves with Catherine's presense, nothing happened at all. He couldn't track anything at all and that was unsual. Something was wrong here.

 _'Damn, I can't track anything at all..'_ But he could sense the gory smell of blood. He opened up his eyes as he took out his phone and lightened up the flash. His eyes widened in fear. What he had saw, it was horrible enough. Gulping a struggling cough back, Vincent put the back of his free hand to his mouth as he tried to hold back the smell from him. He stood in shock at the sight of his bed who was now covered in blood and pig blood, from what he could sense. He left his bed unmade, a few days ago, until it turned into a bloody and disgusting sight. A paper led onto the perfect but stained covers. A picture, to be exact. He moved a little bit closer to the bed to see whatever it was. It was the picture that Regan was referring about earlier. The six of us picture, it reached up to him too but in blood.

' _Regan was right_..' He bend down to get an hold of the picture, picked it up and stood back up with his flashing phone. Drops of blood who were falling from his hold, Vincent examined the picture. The same picture with the six of them but different message at the other side as he turned the picture. His eyes shifted up from left to right as he read the message, also covered in blood. Shaken,Vincent felt his heart racing up at the threat from the invisible intruder. It couldn't be possible. No, no. Dear God.

 **Hero? Don't make me laugh. You let them say that you are a hero and you're fine with it? You're nothing but a stupid joke, Vincent Keller. Just a coward who would continue to run away from his sins. Deadly sins. People would get to you, one day. They'll see the monster behind the man and I'll be there to see it.**

 **The truth would always find a way to come out, one way or another and you know it, Vincent..**

 **C.**

He recognized that handwriting, but what's more weird to him is that he had known the person's handwriting and that person used to be very close to him.

...

"Careful, you have to watch your step or else you'll fall.." had warned Esperanza with her heavy english accent as Ayaka climbed back down from the ladder that led down from the bar. A cave. A secret and the most darkest place of the bar that no one knew about its existence, except the ex-hitman who stood next to her, at the dark. Once Ayaka's feet touched the ground, she looked around, holding her purse to her hand. Everything looked so small in here, enough for someone to become claustrophobic and the humidity air wasn't helping any of it.

"Okay, now what?"

"Come with me, I'll show you, your work place here. You know how to handle a gun, no?"

"Yes.." And loaded too, even if it was a stupid question though. No wonder she was clutching on her purple purse, where she kept it hidden.

"Go, you'll need it for your work here.."

"My work place?"

"It's here where we take them. And when I mean them, I mean the _ladies_ you have to keep an eye on and beat _them_ up here.." Esperanza led Ayaka out to the left where six cages with bars such like in prison, were at their sight, in front of them. In the dark and completely isolated from any light and sound. Three at left and three to the right, leaving one door to the middle between the last two cages. Ayaka looked shocked at the sight and the thought of the girls being taken down here to undergo the punishement from the hitman present, in these cages. That was gonna be her job to hurt these girls in any case of an complaint.

"And that door over there? Is it a cage as well?"

"No, it's not. It's a doctor's office. Àlvarez used to work there from before, to take care of the prisoners, but since he's now stuck at the hospital, we ran out of ideas. We had a few volunteers who used to work at that office, but they sack out at the very last minute.." Ayaka held herself from asking too many questions, that smelled black market in here. She wasn't sure if Àlvarez worked in the black market, cause if he does than he's into the big suspect list at the moment. Who knows if he had stole or borrowed the material equipement on its own or if he asked for someone else to do it for him. However, Cat couldn't ask her that cause she had to earn the hitman's trust first and asking too many questions at once, would start to make things look weird for Esperanza here.

"The last volunteer killed himself, because he couldn't handle the suffering that the girls had go through with the torture. The work I did made him lose his mind and drive him mad. Mad enough about girls getting punished for they deserved, at the end.." The last doctor killed himself cause he couldn't forget the screams and the enduring pain in this place?

"Were you involved into these beatings?"

"What a dumb question, of course I was involved into them, you can ask Lina or Gretchen-Damn, I still forgot that bitch is now dead. However, ever since Lina was diagnosed with a stupid disease, a customer complained that she might have had gave him HIV. That guy completely had panicked to my face and threatened to sue me or Àlvarez. So after Lina was done with her hours, I told her that we needed to talk in a private place. That bitch thought it was outside because she needed a cigarette, but she was wrong."Eyes widen, Ayaka followed the story with interest, even if she was in fact shocked.. Lina used to be beaten too? No wonder the two ladies didn't get along at all, at the first view. "I told her to come up here in this place. Locked her up into one of these cages and the rest is history.. You see, each cages has chains, handcuffs, whipping stuff, stick, axes, guns, etc. You can name them all and you can get to them. You'll appreciate the pleasure of seeing someone suffering for their mistakes and begging you to stop the pain.."

"And the doctor is forced to listen, to them?"

"Only if he or she has nothing to do so, maybe he'll or she'll would learn a few things as well, by bearing someone else's suffering.."

"And it doesn't bother you at all?"

"I got used to it and I kinda learned to appreciate a bitch's screaming in pain way more better now.." Ayaka stayed silent as she tried to count to one to ten on trying to control her fear from showing with her surroundings here in the dark.

"What about you, Aya? Got any grudges against the guy that got you sick?" Ayaka just stared at her back, stunned when the ex-hitman just scoffed with a shrug.

"I mean, give me his number and we'll settle it right now.." If Vincent was born with the heart of a beast, Cat would have had reconsidered the offer, but that would had make her feel more bad than him-What, how could she let herself think at such horrible things like that? Yes, Vincent had broke her heart a few times ago, but to see him being punished for breaking her heart? That was just selfish and unthinkable.

Unless, she does want to see him suffer for the pain he had caused back then. The thought of an possible future was gone for the both of them. He managed to go out and expose himself with Alex and Tori without knowing the danger, made her feel angry. Just angry toward him. He was willing to make big risks for them, but not for her and she somehow hated him for that. But all he ever wanted was a normal life. What's wrong with that? She can't keep on protecting him forever, or else she'll make him feel like he's going to be trapped into a cage with him who he was and what he's capable of, all the same trapping cage when he can go out with wicked red heads girls feeling completely free. Free from her prison. Damn, she was jealous and jealousy led into bad things. She shook her head as she tightened her knuckles hard so they could turn into white, trying to stop thinking about him, even if it was impossible. No, she won't bring Vincent into this or give Esperanza the answer she wants as she shook up her head.

"Aya?" Cat just held herself from bitting her lip as she spoke back, blinking a few times. Releasing a long sigh from her lungs as Esperanza waited for an answer, as she watched her trying to be brave here.

"How can you be like this? Just to order a kill to be done? Without feeling any regrets, at all? How do you do that?" Any remorse, at all? However, the older woman with the heavy make-up didn't seemed bothered by it.

"Pretty simple thing, you don't think twice, you attack and without asking any questions. Let your hate take over and let the rest go on its own..That's what I've been taught since I came up here..And I don't kill, I correct them. Los estoy corrigiendo..." That's it?

"Did anyone died down here?" Cat just shivered in fear at that thought, what if someone had died here? Would she find any skeletons around here? Esperanza just scoffed as she looked away from Cat, staring at one of the cages and put her both of hands into her pockets. A small clue to the fact that she may have something to hide here.

"Why do you think we need a doctor here, for? Àlvarez used to treat the girls, but since he's far away, we'll gotta have to keep on searching on someone who can handle the beating and the atrocious sight of the abuse.."Until they could find a doctor, everything should be under control, but who would treat beaten women when they all know they're gonna be mistreated once they are being caught in a mistake? Someone with a strong stomach. If Cat wanted to stop Àlvarez one way or another, she'll have to play the game.

"So do you accept the job, yes or no?"

"Am I allowed to see the contract, you've made with Àlvarez's agreement?"The contract was brought back and she wanted to make sure it was real, either if was or not legal. She needed to see it from herself.

"Only if you accept the deal and after that, I'll be sending you to your room.." Cat just looked around the place, still unbelieving that the other part of the work she would do, would be staying here, torturing work in this isolated cave under the bar. This was gonna be hard to forget once the job would be over. The humidity in this place was starting to make her feel weird and uncomfortable. And blood, were there any bloodstains inside of these cages?

"May I chose my room?" Annoyed, Esperanza just rolled up her eyes. New kids with their never ending questions, were just annoying to deal with.

"Sure, whatever. So, it's that an yes?" But the ex-hitman didn't waited much long for her answer, cause she spotted a wicked smile formed to Ayaka's face. Cat made her decision. She wanted to stay and punish all the girls and Àlvarez for the pain they had caused to Gretchen and Lena, especially Lena, whose life might be over now. And that was because of Vincent. Something to occupy her claws for the time being.

"When do I start?" Maybe she might be able to deal with the hidden jealousy after all. Taking these girls inside of these cages and beat them up for their mistakes would be quite of an relief. She watched Vincent taking interest into red heads girls without knowing the consecquences from his actions as he had let her deal with his mess on her own, and now, the girls who might make an stupid mistake would get themselves punished and Ayaka would be there to see it happen. Bye, bye, Cat.

 _Let your hate take over and let the rest go on its own.._ Oh she would for sure, as she shook Esperanza's hand. The devil's offer.

And yet, she was still smilling and looked like she was going to have fun by hurting these girls. And for some weird reason, she didn't even cared if her actions would even hurt Vincent or not.

...

"So you're saying that a certain man named Vincent Keller was admitted a few nights ago to this hospital?" Santiago Medina spent the night and outside of the NY General Hospital along with a blond haired woman who was into her mid forties, in blue scrubs. Despite the hospital being supervised ever since Hermandez's death, Medina had no other choice but to invastigate the other case that used to bother him, but kinda got into his skin now.

At first when he first came in, he asked if anyone had known about a certain man Vincent Keller being admitted here, before he went out publicly. If anyone had any supcisions about that man or anything at all. The hospital staff were a little alarmed to hear from Medina that he was working with the FBI and stated that a case, somehow personal was now being open about that soldier being gone for ten years ago, until now. Agent Hendricks was stunned to hear about that point, but it was Medina's theory anyways. Hendricks didn't believe that Keller was involved into Reynolds's arrest, but decided to give him a green light, if it could ever help on why Chandler had lied about.

Maybe because Lowan had something to do with it and ever since he had met Tess's partner Catherine, he felt very weird about this woman. A woman with many secrets from what he could guess and he didn't like it. Maybe Hendricks was right, Chandler could have had lied and may had covered someone since a bullet was found at the crime scene. Rui was right in two things. Primo; The female cop had arrested Reynolds and deuxio; A bullet in blood was found and it turned out to be a non-match later on. And Vincent Keller in all this? He was found shot, by trying to save Tori Windsor?

Medina would never ever understimate his friend ever again, especially when three things had occured in almost one week, all together. He took out his notepad from his coat with a pencil and started to take notes as the ER doctor followed;

"Only a few days. He was still considered as an John Doe before he went out publicly. He was admitted here for a severe gunshot wound, abdomen left side, but down area. I remember cause I was doing the night shift. He was brought into the emergency with that heiress red head girl by his side and we whisked him into surgery right away."

"So fast?" The doctor just rolled up her eyes, it was an emergency, you didn't had the time to think, but act fast, she wanted to reply this back.

"It was an emergency. I remembered running outside, it was late night. The guy almost ran out of blood, all of it. Probably would have died an hour later if he wasn't brought in..He was in very bad shape, barely conscious though. The surgeons couldn't even believe how the heck, Keller had made it through, the whole night.." Very bad shape, uh? Hang on a second, ran all of it? Why? "He was sedated and been transfused with a couple of blood bags for the rest of the night, under the watch of that red haired girl-"

"On what day, he ended up being admitted here?"Interrupted by his questions, Medina kept on writing down or scribbled on his notepad.

"If my memory is still correct, on the night of November the 30th.." A few days after Thanksgiving? Since Chandler had arrested her father the day after that got his attention, Medina looked back up at her, trying to hide his astonishement, but couldn't. Damn, that bastard Rui was right. He cleared up his throat and continued his questions.

"How did the injury wound looked like? I mean, did you ever got a close look at it?"

"I was too busy on saving his life, Detective, it did not mattered to me.."

"But it is important for the invastigation. So, let me ask you again, doc. How bad was the injury?"

"He had an exit wound, which meant the bullet went out from his body, hitting a blood vessel. One of the surgeons who had operated on him had said, that the wound looked like it had been there for almost a whole day and the reason on why Keller hadn't wanted to be admitted when the time was needed? I still don't know.." A whole day? Strange.

"Maybe because he was afraid of needles?"

"Really funny.."

"Maybe the guy was afraid to be exposed in public, after being gone for a very longtime?"Or more like Keller was afraid of the people who maybe had once captured him in the past, somewhere in Afganisthan? Or there was more than that?

"With the amnesia thing, that could be. But that guy could have had died, either way.."

"Cops went to get his fingerprints?"

"You know the procedure. When a patient is admitted with a gunshot wound, the doctors would have to make a report to the cops. After they went, a certain dark haired man in black suit and a petite brunette female cop came in together and told us to let John Doe-Keller, I mean, let himself do the honors and then the rest is history.."

"You remember the names of the two people that came in, the last night?"

"I believe it was an certain assistant of the ADA office, Lowan and a certain Cat Chandler, a cop just like you.." Well, well, well. Detective Chandler was involved along with Lowan?

"The two of them took care of everything, especially the ADA guy. However, the female cop looked quite sad though. I spotted her watching Keller being wheeled to an private room like she wanted to be there with him. I asked her if she wanted to stay with him and Windsor, for the night, but she declined the offer.."

"Why didn't she stayed?" Medina had asked again. Looks like Cat had known the ex-soldier from before from what he imagined. She was protecting him, somehow.

"Dunno, but it seemed to me like that she once had known that patient, Vincent Keller, I mean. In some other lifetime, though.." He smiled back at her. He had just the answers that he needed for now and it was enough for the time being.

"We all have this impression, don't we?" He thanked her for answering his questions and went back to his car, to start the engine and left the hospital parking. Damn, no wonder Chandler had lied during the videotape with Hendricks. She was covering Vincent Keller during the arrest of her father, that was no clue to that. How, Keller got himself into it? He still don't know the reason, but if the doctor was right about the exit wound that looked like it had been there for almost a whole day, it would certainely mean something. He had to call back Hendricks-No. Rui was an better option. Even with Tyler's case being almost terminated much to his displeasure, he started to like that case that Hendricks had confided him into his hands now.

The only problem it was how long he kept on keeping it far away from the precinct and expecially from Cheng. He felt the guy a little lonely and quite impatient, lately. Probably, because Cheng and his fiancee Nataya were in bad terms from what he had heard a few months ago.

He should be fine. He's big boy. He and his fiancee would find a way through all this. However, Medina kept his attention on the road as he was driving to somewhere else's place now. Cause he had others questions to ask now.

And that person was Tori Windsor and Gabe Lowan.

...

Sitting alone at the bar, Tori took a look at her Baileys drink with glooming eyes. The drink wasn't too strong enough for an achohol drink, but it was better than scotch, expecially when it comes to an person living with an stranger's organ though. It was a curse, these visions, way worse than being a beast.

Vincent had attacked her and out of rage. Out of control. He really looked like he wanted to finish her off and for good. His eyes. They expressed anger and uncontollable violence. _Oh God._

 _"You did this..You killed them all!"_

He accused her of killing them, but who? The bad guys they once had hunted together? All because they did not trusted the law, like Cat and Gabe had advice them to give it a chance, before all went wrong?

 _'I was just pissed and deceived by the law, even after someone had set up a trap to kill me-Vincent and I-I don't even know if there's an 'Us' into it. I pushed Vincent to make a choice that did not only cost his relationship with Catherine, but his humanity. I made him become a monster and took advantage of Catherine's friendship. All this is my fault..'_

Oh God, there she was-Feeling bad for Cat now. Tori just wanted to finished up Reynolds with Vincent, way faster than it looked, without knowing the consecquences to this. Everything changed. Including after that shooting, Vincent seemed to be latching up to her side, allowing himself to fall into his darkest side of the beast. Becoming more of an animal than man. She've costed his humanity. At first, it didn't mattered to her cause she used to be like him before, but now that she was a normal human and useless, she was scared of him. Like he couldn't keep himself under control anymore.

He blamed her for destroying everything that he and Cat worked so hard together and that was because of her fault. She had destroyed that bond, all that because she was afraid to be alone.

 _'You stupid selfish brat, you'd thought you could get away with murder? You should have had listened to Cat's plan instead, but you were too angry and sturborn to stay still, weren't you?'_

Tori took a sip from her drink, as she sighed. Things were really difficult now, not only Vincent had attacked her with blind rage, but J.T had considered her to go back to Gabe's loft and appolegize for leaving and hiding into his place or else he'd warn Gabe about penatrating into his place to see Vincent, without his accord and put the injoction against her, for real this time. Which meant spending a few days in prison, for violating his rights.

Gabe was making her feel uncomfortable. The accusations he was facing could be bad for his career and his beast past could exposed with Tyler's murder. After what she had seen in him, she didn't felt any safe. She couldn't go back, but Vasquez?

This woman claimed to have known her mother and been blackmailed by her late father.

 _'Why? Because she had seen him transform into a beast, or the fact that he may had attacked my mom? No..Dad would had never done that.'_

Cause Curt used to love her mother once, didn't he? And Veronica looked very serious when she finally had the chance had meet her. That night at the bar changed everything about the way she had seen about her father.

She was at the same bar, same place as she shared a drink with that woman who came with a file. Tori had a bad feeling about that file, something that would tell her about a dark secret that her father used to hide from her.

 _"What's inside of that file might change the way you used to see your father as a good man, Tori.."_ Veronica had warned her by pointing the file on the bar. The red haired woman took a look to it before her eyes had gone back up to the blond haired woman. _"What, what are you talking about?"_ She put a hand through her hair as if she wanted to control her frustration, waiting for Veronica to answer.

 _"The fate that your mother chose to have with him had cost her, very deadly.."_

At first, Tori didn't wanted to believe her but when she opened up the file, she stared at pictures of an Curt Windsor on the phone, others meeting a strong man, mostly a hitman. The same hitman who held gasoline bottle, her mother with another man with a bag full of clothes on one hand while the other held a notebook. A passport, to be exact, meaning she was on the edge on leaving her ex-husband and her daughter. To be far away from them.

Her mother was afraid of her ex-husband and mostly of her daughter who had the chances of becoming one too. The last photo had shown a car who ended up being exploded on the road as the two lovers were trying to run away to get to the nearest airport. She was terribly stunned. It was no way her father would had done this. Tori looked back at Veronica who sipped her red wine with a frown, but her eyes were telling everything she didn't wanted to know.

 _"Your father had managed to track your mother. Not only he did found her, but he hired an hitman to kill her and her lover."_

 _"No, no. This can't be true! My father couldn't have never done that!"_

 _"I hired an private invastigator, Tori and he had shown me all the pictures, but it was too late to call the cops for stopping the last one though.."_

 _"Why are you showing me all this? And why now?"_

 _"I wanted to show you the truth, because I know that deep inside, your mother had tried before, but you didn't listened and that was because you didn't knew how of an cold man your father had turned out to be.."_

If Curt couldn't have her mother, then no one could. He both had killed them in order to make it look as if it was an accident. He was far too gone and like Vincent had said before, Curt enjoys being a beast.

Veronica was wrong, but the pictures looked so real and unfaked. How could she had missed this? Maybe she was just blind as he kept on making promises like he could fix everything. Ignoring the signs. Ignoring the truth. _Lies._

Tori ended up paying her drink as she decided to leave and packing up her things from Gabe's loft and finally decided to move into Veronica's small rent.

Cause she may have some questions to ask, as well. About her parents and their lies.

...

"Would you stop pacing around, for a second? It makes me sick!"

"I just can't stand still, with that threat on my mind, I can't sit or relax, J.T!"

"What do you think, I am doing now?"

"You heard the genius, it won't do any good, Ash and besides, Vincent is a big boy, he'll come up whenever he wants to come.." J.T took a look back at Jeffrey who was standing behind the bar counter, with a frown. Still in his blue scrubs, had his arms folded to his chest as he stared back at some worried Ash who kept walking back and guy looked like he had been dragged out from his shift at the hospital and started to seem impatient now.. J.T was sitting back to his computers, well the two of them who were still functionning at the moment while the other got burned by Tess. Accidentely, to specify. Only the keyboard got attacked leaving the screen in good shape, but he still didn't wanted to make things worse with all the electric wires connected to the computer's disk. And Ed being around them or playing with them, it was just out of the question.

And then came the picture, tapped to that screen with a message behind it, that made his blood run cold.

 **You're not quite of a saint, aren't you, J.T? Putting your buddy Vincent into the hands of the evil. Can't still get on why he had forgiven you for your stupid mistake though.**

 **Cause I'd would have hated you, instead.**

Someone bursted into his place to threat him. Not only he was the only here, but Regan, Ash and Jeffrey had an copy as well. Six of them with Alex.

"What about Alex? You think she had one as well?"

"Don't think so, if she had, she would have called, but didn't. Ever since she started to date that cop guy back in California, he's quite of the protective guy so I think he wouldn't had hesitated to start an research about finding Regan's stalker..Alex trusts us that we can do it without her included.."had replied Miguel as he walked inside of the room. He made sure to look around the club first for any sign of penetration, but none came in. Where was Vincent, by now? After an uncomfortable moment of silence, Jeffrey had let out a long defeating sigh as Ash sat to the bar, too tired to run in worrying for nothing.

"Ash, we need to tell them about Regan. Both Vincent and J.T deserve to know about the situation." J.T turned his head back at them, intrigued on why Jeffrey was mumbling about. Confused, he waited for the black haired guy to answer. "No, we can't.."

"It reached us. Regan, J.T., you and I. And you know what else? It might have reached to Vincent as well. All of us are into this mess.." What reached them?

"They don't need to know, Jeff-"

"Stop denying it! You can't stop him, none of us can! He's back, Ash. He spotted Regan and all of us, including a very living zombie like Vincent.." Ok, that was enough here. J.T stood up from his chair and walked to the bar, angry and offended by Jeffrey's talk.

"Just, what the hell, are you talkin-"

"J.T!" Saved by the beast, but at the wrong timing here. Vincent rushed inside with Regan behind his back, as they both had survived a very long marathon from the houseboat to the club. But in fear. Vincent's pants and both hands looked like they were stained mostly, blood and he looked exhausted completely. What the hell had happened? Did he lost control, again?

"About time you got here, I was about to call you again about the pic-"

"That picture, you mean? Like this one, here?" Vincent had shown up the picture in blood in front of his surprised face.

"Uh, Vincent.."

"You've received one too, no? So that makes five of us.." He looked at the people who were standing here in shame, but mostly of themselves. However, Jeffrey looked he had enough to be the bad one here.

"As long Alex is spared from that madness, I think so. Regan, I think you should tell him the truth. It's not gonna help if we keep on hiding when _it_ had found us, already.." Confused, Vincent looked back at the blond haired woman who was alarmed just to hear up her name, like she was being caught of doing something very bad. And back at Jeff who was now fed up about the hiding stuff from what Vincent guessed. Something was wrong and it wasn't only about the pictures here. They all know something and it was fishy. He watched the others arguing one at another and boy, too many heartbeats were racing up to his ears that he couldn't concentrate for long. A sudden and painful vibration went inside of his head and out of nowhere. He closed his eyes tight with a grunt, as he brought up two fingers to the bridge of his nose, as if he was having an headache ready to explode. There was too much noise into this room. All voices were like into a echo. Everywhere was pain to his ears.

"Jeff, please don't make me do it.." Regan's denying sounding voice was beggining to drop everything down, despite the fact she kept on hiding something important here.

"What truth? Regs, what's he talking about?" Looks like J.T doesn't even know what the hell is going here as well. They were two and standing out of the circle of truth here. Three, if you can count Ed, who was now hiding under the computers's table, frightened by the atmosphere in here.

"The whole truth has to come out and now.." What truth?

"Jeff, we already have had this conversation.." Damn Miguel was also losing his control as well.

"Shut up, Miguel. Vincent and your girlfriend had put us into this mess.."He pointed back at Vincent who cringed his teeth as if he was trying to hide any invisible pain with two fingers to his temple."And since the guy can't even remember on what we're talking about, we'll need to refresh his memory by now. Like I said, enough with the hiding.." The blond haired woman felt like she had all eyes on her and kinda had wished to vanish from all this mess now. She shook her head as tears were threatening her to come out, again.

"I can't go back on it, Jeff, I have a son!" But the dark skinned guy wasn't having any of it as he brought down his fist to bar counter in anger which made everyone execpt Vincent, to jump in shock.

"You should've had thought of that first, before you brought him up here! And we're all in danger here, because of you and Vincent!" Jeffrey sneered in anger back at the crying woman. He already had accused Ash from the past and now, he felt that Regan should know the consecquences of her actions. Standing inside of the group, J.T tried to focus even if he was lost into them. "Please, Jeff, just stop.."had begged the dark haired guy, still sitting at the bar, while Jeff kept on lashing despite what the others had thought.

"It was because of him, that you ended up attacked. ' _It'_ had known about your stupid crush on Keller and once he had known the jerk turned out to be alive, after long enough, ' _It'_ decided to kill you from going to him here.." Regan cracked out a sobbing sound, knowing she couldn't hide any longer now.

"It didn't last, I did stop-"

"ENOUGH!" A surprising growling shouting voice surprised all five heads to turn to the owner who had interrupted them. Widen eyed at an very angry Vincent whose brown eyes were staring at them with boilling fury in them. He was sweating and struggled on keeping his breathing in tact. Or like he wanted to punch everyone in here to just shut them out. Everone kept in silence, while Regan tried to cope with her tears that kept running on her cheeks.

"Vincent-"But the angry man kept on shouting, slapping his fist to the counter way harder than Jeff did earlier.

"I said enough!" J.T stood there stunned at this answer. Vincent had never once lost his temper to an girl or to anyone else, that easily before but this time he looked like he was in rage. Leaving the beast away. Out of control was the answer, he'd feared to happen. He held himself to the counter of the bar for support as he looked to everyone in here, including Miguel who was now sitting at the edge of the edge of an sofa that was tossed from a small spot away from the computers's table, uneased just like Vincent was about to blurt out.

"I think we do need to talk here and like Jeff has said-The truth has to come out. I wonder what it is, in order to be so covered up in secrecy here. So, no one is going out from this place, until I say so.."He rubbed his chin with his fingers stained with blood, which his beard was now a mess. J.T. watched him from his spot, still in shock while the others looked down, feeling ashamed of themselves, cause they have known that Vincent was right and the fact, he was pissed of the hiding thing they've been doing, lately. Mostly, the reason of why he was being accused of with Regan was more intimadating as well.

"Vincent.." Still angry, he followed as he tried to remain calm here, even if he had the urge of bursting out, again.

"And since that my houseboat has been burgled and been found in blood, my bed mostly and including this picture. The six of us with Alex.."He dropped the picture covered with blood to the counter. "I can't go back in there, so neither will you with that threat in our hands and I say-Our hands in it. So, one of you has to speak and now.."

"Don't look at me, I'm just as in shock as you are!" J.T answered back in panicking surrounding himself, like Vincent expected him to say something. That only left him Ash, Jeffrey and Regan in the suspecting circle of lies. With J.T, he became friends and studied with them, they once shared everything by being together, laughing, fights, jealousy, mostly between him and Jeffrey before. Something went wrong after he entlisted or after he had been away from almost ten years. Knowing he wasn't going anywhere with this silence, Vincent sighed.

"Ash.."

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you read the letter? The one I had received, I think there's a clue you didn't get in yours.."He turned back the picture to reveal the message that was written on its back as he waited, patientely for the shaken black haired guy to read. Ash looked back at him with begging eyes. Vincent just folded his arms to his chest with a frown, looking more pissed than ever.

"Sorry, my fingerprints are all over it with that pig blood, just to let you know..Woudn't bring it to the police station, if I were you, man.." Damn, he hated to wait, now that someone may not only be after him, but after them all in here. Ash brought the picture with trembling fingers down to his eyes as he read the letter. Regan clitched her both of her fists so tight as she was shaking in fear, but with shame, telling herself it was all her fault from the start.

"The truth would always find a way to come out, one way or another and you know it, Vincent..C." J.T gulped at this, as he blurted this out.

"Who's C?" Not Cat, please.

"I think we both know who is C." However, Vincent didn't believe Catherine would do such a thing as J.T gave him an weird stare. That person's name starts with an C, but it couldn't be Cat. It was someone else.

"California's stalker.."had brought up Regan as she looked back down, feeling so little into this place with five men. After a moment of deep thinking, J.T slapped his head, completely surprised as if he just remembered something important.

"That's it!"

"J.T.?"

"I known I've heard that name before! That 'C' letter was telling me something though."He went up back to his computers as he sat down on his chair and tossed out the beast files away from the screen as he opened up another window. Vincent went up behind his back and check up from J.T's shoulder as his friend was tipping the California's stalker on Google research. Thounsands articles came across his sight, non-reliables and others that had passed on years ago. From the mid seventies to the mid eighties, a certain dude who was using the nickname ' _The Original Night Stalker'_ or ' _The East Area Rapist'_ whom was quite famous to the FBI, a couple years ago. Serial killer and rapist who had committed more than fifty rapes in Nothern California and murdered twelve people in the South as well. Never been caught. But it was nothing comparing to what they were looking for.

Until something had caught his eye. J.T brought his mouse to the link up down to the third page. Where an a newspaper from _The San Jose Mercury News_ had released a picture from an small condom's living room was teared up into pieces where walls, sofas, couch, tv, framing pictures, tables and including babies toys were all stabbed and covered to dark texture. The living room looked like it has been assaulted and very bad way. Blood, no doubt it was blood from what J.T and Vincent had read. The newspaper had released this picture on its first page with big letters written in black.

 **"Anything for love. Till death to Us part."**

"Oh God, that's self rage.."

"You'd tell me.."Vincent held his breath as he kept on reading the topic.

But what was worse is that it only happened on the days when Vincent went out puplicly for the first time as War hero guy, to the front. Same day, same week. Mid December to New Year's.

"Must have been happening during that Talk show, I think.."

"Read down there.." J.T popped his head at the next paragraph right next to the picture. However there was no picture this time, about Regan being rushed to an ambulance or whatever.

It said that the victim,thirty year old, Regan Bennett was found stabbed and lying into Miguel Valdez's arms who's been trying to stop the rushing bleeding from coming out. Seven to eight stabbing wounds were found and calculated and was rushed up to the hospital after the neighbours had called after hearing crashing and yelling sounds. A fight had occured before the damage had took place. The blond haired woman had been into a serious condition once she had been admitted to the hospital due to her stabbing wounds and managed to identify her attacker who was her husband, Carl Patrowaski, an drug addict and etc.

Vincent stood up, completely stunned at this name. _Carl Patrowaski._ He had known this name from before since the guy was doing his first year as residance at the same hospital like he was before. And what was worse? Is that he, Ash and Alex had presented the guy to the others, including to an very once shy Regan, hoping she would come out from her shell which it did happen, but when it came to her suttering it was another story, though. Everything seemed to go well as they went on a few dates or even when the group got the chance to hang out together.

What he did not know, it was that Regan's first boyfriend had a bad past with drugs, with heroine mostly. The gang had no idea, at all. He remembered that late night shift when he had to replace Jeffrey once when the dude had to go away on a date and would mostly end up on a motel's old and used bed. Vincent remembered not only the fact he had whinned about Alex pushing the important day faster than he thought, but he also had spotted an colleague putting something inside of his locker. It was Carl. At the lockers's room, where he was too focused on his personal problems, to know what mess Carl was trying to hide inside of his locker.

 _"Damn it! Alex's gonna drive me nuts someday! Not only I have to cover Jeff's stupid ass for the whole night, but Alex had to be frustrated about our longtime engangement that she pushed the date way more faster! I thought we talked about this before, I mean-I know that we're both busy with our jobs and everything, but that woman wants things to be rushed and done here! Weddings aren't supposed to be like that!"_ He slapped the door open as he walked inside, still in his blue scrubs and went up to his locker as he fidgeted on his padlock on trying to open the door, but he was too angry to concentrate. He groaned, realizing it wasn't working at all.

 _"I mean, I'm stressed enough, already. Not only William had pushed me to go back here, but I don't need nobody else to decide what's good for me and Alex's pushing it.."_ And it just makes me angry, he almost had added.

 _"Then, maybe you should put an end to your engagement, Keller.."_ Vincent had gave up his locker's door close and turned to his friend with a smirk, forgetting all anger for a second, as he blurt out this:

 _"Can't do that or else, she'll get more angry..At least, you and Regs are keeping things cool, I mean with no rush and no black crowl flying around your nest is a good thing.."_ Sometimes, he envied how simple things were for the both of them, him and Alex before they got engaged. He spotted Regan and Carl stealing a few pecks between breaks, how sweet they were together. He heard from workers that Carl came from a very troubled background before he move up here to do his medical degree and had meet all the gang, but it was mostly with Regan that managed to melt his heart. But anyways, despite that, they were all friends. Still looking inside of his locker, Carl just shrugged as he continued to search for something.

 _"Maybe I should ask her to marry me, soon-"_

 _"Wrong thing, buddy, wrong about asking it now, I mean you guys are dating now and it's all perfect. Don't destroy it with committement, cause I don't think Regan is ready for that-"_ Vincent blinked at the sudden sound in surprise, as he got cut off, in out of nowhere. However, Carl interupted him as he closed up his locker, but with force instead that shook him by surprise. As something that looked almost invisible fell off from the locker, unnoticed for the two of them.

 _"How do you know that, Keller?"_

 _"Cause, she doesn't talk much?"_ Trying to be funny, Vincent? Well, it didn't worked.

 _"Well this is where you're wrong! Love does excist and it does last forever, even if it takes time for two people to come together. Only an ass like you don't seem to take it seriously!"_ Damn, that guy was being a little agressive here as Vincent tried to light things up with a nervous chuckle.

 _"Heey, calm down here, I never said I didn't take it seriously. I just said that sometimes, Alex does drives me crazy, like enough crazy to jump off the roof-Because she drives me crazy, ok?"_ However the other guy didn't looked convinced.

 _"Yeah, whatever Keller.."_ Vincent watched the brown haired guy with blue eyes picking up something from the floor that looked like a small bag with some white power inside and once that guy had rose up to his feet, he noticed his nose was starting to bleed and red spots were on his forearms like he used something to inject himself. That something looked very hard and strong as well. Drugs? Why would Carl carry them around here? Vincent just stared up at him and figured out that Carl was far from being nice here. He looked depraved, he had bloodshot eyes, his skin too pale enough to be sick, his long brown haired was a dirty mess, his clothes were wrinkled as they weren't ironed from a very longtime. The guy before looked like a ghost, more of an depraved ghost. It just creeped him out, on how drugs can take a hold of yourself and Dr. Marcus had let him in, in this horrible state without noticing all the bad behavior or the fact that one of the staff here was taking drugs?

What about Regan? Did she known about this, that her boyfriend was drugging himself, behind her back? Carl looked back at him, angry, but alarmed as he guessed what he had been hiding for a very longtime.

 _"What are you looking at?"_

 _"Nothing!"_ Vincent just shook his head as he got caught staring up at him. A little spooked due to that tone. If drugs has that effect on you, you wouldn't want that to happen to you or to anybody else.

 _"You want some, Keller? Cause I know a guy down there on the street-"_ Nah, not a chance. Vincent gulped as he declined the offer, putting up his hands in front of himself as he surrounded looking all guilty. He hated drugs, including the hard ones on the streets that came from bad strangers as his parents had told him before. Don't do drugs or alcohol or else you're gonna die.

 _"Sorry, I'm not that interested, I wouldn't want my nose to bleed that much though.."_ Gotcha and oops..

 _"Damn it.."_

 _"You okay, man?"_ He looked back to Carl being worried for the guy who tried to hide the rushing blood from his nose in shame.

 _"Look, I've got to go on my break and one last thing here, Keller, you'd better not hurt Alex, or else I'll beat you hard.."_ A little too harsh, maybe?

 _"Man, I thought that I-"_ But Carl had rose up his head revealing more blood that was now running down from his nose. Vincent just stood there in shock as he watched the man threatening him with such anger through his voice. These eyes, he'd never forgotten them from that day on.

 _"Believe what you want, Keller, if you want to be a chicken and some loser for the rest of your life, so be it.."_ Then, Carl had walked away from the place with a determinated move away from him, not caring if Vincent had guessed about his secret or not.

"Hey, Big Guy, you okay? Vincent!" J.T's voice had dragged him out from his lost memories as he let out a surprising gasping sound. He looked around the place, noticing that he was still at J.T's club with the others who were waiting for him to react. It sounded so real.

"Oh Boy, I have never said a word from that day on, when I caught him carry drugs around.." A strange feeling of guilt went through him as he thought about the secret he'd never had the time to share.

"Did Dr. Markus had never noticed anything weird?" But Vincent shook his head as he rubbed his eyes hoping he wasn't hallucinating anymore.

"No..I mean I-I-I had no idea about it. It was on my mind for a moment until I've heard about the two Towers. But I had never said a word about Carl using drugs around.."Damn, he should have had, at least.

"Vincent.."

"Welcome to the club.." Vincent turned around back to see Jeffrey's frown forming up to his face. "Now, you know your place into these pictures, Keller..Cause you've hided something big behind our backs, during the entire time.."

"Look, Jeff.."Ash tried to explain, but Vincent cut him off as he defended himself back to the guy standing behind the bar.

"I thought he would come out on his own.." At this, Jeff just scoffed in mockery like he couldn't believe a word from his old buddy.

"On his own? You really believe he could have done that, on his very own, like a big boy? A junkie stays a junkie, Vincent. No change to that! Ash ended up in jail, after he told the staff that someone was carrying some powding heroine -"However, Ash cut him off before he could add any other bad insult that he might regret.

"Someone did tried to frame me, Vincent. And I believe it was Carl's doing.."Vincent walked back to the two guys, trying to understand the situation now that he was also a part into this mess, only he didn't say a word about Carl or even admitting to Regan that her boyfriend was using drugs behind her back.

"And later, Regan got attacked and left for dead.." Miguel had murmured a few spots away from them as the blond haired woman looked away as if she wanted to disapear from this place.

"The very same week when you shown up, your lovely ass to the public.." Jeffrey made his way out from the counter bar to face up to him as he watched the ex-soldier looking back at him, at Ash, at Regan and Miguel. So confused, Jeffrey should've have felt bad for him, but he wasn't, but Vincent knew better. He blamed him for leaving them alone with a threat that used to be their friend.

"Why?"

"Because, he wanted me to pay for my sins.." Regan refused to look up to him, she felt so ashamed. She didn't wanted Vincent to look up to her, pitying her as a victim though.

"What sins? Regan, you couldn't-"

"Seriously, Keller, are you that dumb? It's because of you! You were the target into this attack!" Jeffrey's eyes were full of anger as he had said this, believing Vincent was a complete fool. That was just enough and Jeffrey had it, already. His voice had spooked everyone here. " Carl had known about her stupid crush about you and had her attacked and left her for dead for it!" He pointed him as if it was his fault from the entire start. "Isn't that enough for you to understand, Vincent?"

"Look, Jeff. Let's not start a fight here, I'm sure we can talk a few things out here!" J.T. tried to negotiate things here as he saw how bad they were about to turn onto.

"There's nothing else to say here. You're way worse than Keller here, Forbes.."However it just made things worse as J.T. had raise his voice up in anger when Jeffrey had just insulted him.

"Say that again-"

And then, Regan took off and dropped her purple shirt down on the floor, revealing a black bra, even before Jeffrey could follow and threat the so-called War Hero man, revealing the red scars, still healing scars from the attack. She couldn't take it anymore, any fight between the men. J.T went right next to Vincent's side and stood in shock from the sight he and his best friend were exposed at now. The two of them were dreadfully in shock. Their expression said everything that words couldn't.

"Regan.." But the blond haired woman looked down on them, as she felt like this moment had to come one way or another.

"This is why I said that I was lucky about the drinking night, but it was a lie. I mean, about getting drunk, cause I didn't drink any of it..The scars were the reason." Oh God, she felt all their eyes on her while Miguel tried not to look at them sharing the same pain and guilt with her. These red scars that marked her body, her torso scared for the rest of her life. "That's what love did to me.."she blurted out to the two and speecheless men before her sight, recalling the hauntening events from what she had known.

Carl had tried end her after she chose her son over him, after giving him so many chances to get a hold of himself, but he failed after she caught him cheating on her. Either it was sneaking out from rehab or taking some powder that was kept hidden to her lingerie clothes, at late night.

The early years when they got married were sweet, however they got bitter as she got know him better. Moving into a new city, a place to live and to live together as long as they both shall live. But, it was for a short time. Jealousy were drifting them apart with them as nurse and doctor working at the same hospital, including the long and heavy hours she went through. Even Carl used to believe she was cheating on him, since she often had come home late. It was also rumoured that he had yelled up and often had beaten her up. And Regan being the nice and patient one into this sacred marriage had believed that, he would change and ask her for forgiveness. Oh, she waited and waited, not sharing a word about the abuse to anyone in order to save the appearences. She really had believed in him, only that moment never had occured despite his promises of changing, he never did. Drugs were hidden into the drawner of their bedroom and lots of them were there in the place. They were the cause of these accidents.

And then came the time when he believed that with her becoming pregnant from him would had been a curse than a blessing. Regan had thought that forming their own family would help him to ease the mistakes he had done a longtime ago and start a new beggining, being married and forming a family. She thought that her love for him would heal him. Love heals everything, doesn't? Oh God, she was so naive and wrong.

Love was blind and violent.

Regan remembered being rushed to the hospital after Carl had pushed her down, falling downstairs and being eight months pregnant. Blind rage. What a nightmare, she remembered her cries for help, but mostly the blood falling from her insides, fearing to lose her baby. Her baby boy whom Carl believed was cursed. It just changed everything and the thought he had tried to kill her once, just changed everything.

Vincent David Bennett was born a few weeks later.

That little boy that had Carl's brown hair and Regan's blue eyes, handsome and brave which was so unlike Carl and even if she'd never had the chance to date him because of her best friend, he did somehow looked like Vincent. No wonder she named her child after him. Because little Vincent looked brave like him, even Alex had approved the fact.

 _"You don't have to worry, Regan, Vincent would have been very happy to hear that you named your son after him. I know that, don't worry.."_ Alex came all the way to support her through the hard time after she went through the c-section procedure and luckily her baby was brought up safe into her arms. Little Vincent was a little weak at the first days, but had shown that even a little guy like him could become stronger and much more stronger in a whole month. Regan refused to have the cops around fearing that an invastigation would start and expose everything in public. Stating it was only a stupid accident, but it was the only and last time she had taken her spouse's defense. She held her little baby into her arms and vowed that nothing bad would come to him, cause she wouldn't allow anyone to do it. She kissed his forehead as she made that promise to him.

Three years had passed and everything seemed to go back into normal, Carl tried to stay clean and to get a job, which had successed for the first months and tried to regain Regan's trust later on. However, she didn't wanted to fall for his tricks anymore, but she did suggested that they should go to see a therapist helping them to fix their problems. Hell chaos had occured and why? Because a therapist would cost too much and Carl needed money and why for? Drugs, were the answer. He didn't stay clean, long enough.

Or else it was over for the two of them. Regan didn't wanted to live the same experience with him all over again. Threats of divorce had came after she had made a few calls with her aunt, who used to be a young profiler from the FBI and a lawyer for now, feisty and brillant, Attorney at the crown, Diana Bennett who suggested her to a divorce lawyer to end this marriage in the right and peaceful way and without any fight. She and Brianna Valdez had talked about the possible things that could happen, such if she would still keep her baby and far away from her husband and that her rights would be respected.

And Carl wouldn't receive a penny, until he proved himself worthy or would ever see his son again, not into that agressive state, she hoped to get full custudy of Vincent and keep her money to herself and to her son. Far away from his father. The monster inside of him had broke a nerve when he had found out about the news that she was asking for a divorce and an injonction against him. Auntie Diana made sure that if someone laid a finger on her or little Vincent's hair, she would alert the state cops and the FBI altogether in order to protect the two of them. The hell with exposure.

And when Carl heard that she was starting to see someone and had the idea to sell the appatement behind his back, it was way worse...

She was asked to move away with her boy, after the letter threats, the chocking threat and then came the attack when he had come over into the place, out of rage.

Thank Goodness, Vincent was living with her aunt, or else that boy wouldn't had that second chance on living. Regan remembered that she had threatened to call the cops about his presence here and the fact he was menacing her, scaring her.

 _"Tell me! Where are they? Them! Where are they?"_ So depraved, he wanted drugs and he needed the money to get to them. Leaving the door left open, Regan stepped back, chest heaving as her heart wanted to explode out of her small ribcage as Carl kept on walking towards her, only she didn't wanted to stop from walking behind, keeping on staring his bloodshot and hungry eyes. But she took her courage into her hands, facing him with head straight even if her eyes couldn't hide their fear. The phone was ringing, somewhere into the living room.

 _"They're not here.."_

 _"You've hide them with that demon! That little bastard-"_

 _"Vincent is your son!"_

 _"No! He's a demon and a demon needs to be destroyed!"_ Oh God, he really did believed his own son was a demon and the fact that she named him after Alex's dead boyfriend and after some very popular king, David, one character from the Bible and after her father as well and keeping her last name. Leaving nothing to Carl. Because, little Vincent looked nothing like him.

 _"Stay away from him!"_

 _"I'd like to see you try, you little bitch!"_

 _"Regan?"_ Damn, what Miguel was doing in here? He was supposed to meet her with Diana by tomorrow morning. She took the opportunity of distracting him by taking something from the table as she watched him smirk due to her new boyfriend's voice through the phone.

 _"Ok. First, it was Keller and now you're into this stupid-"_

And she knocked him with a empty vase and quite hard enough to hear him grunt. She rushed back into the bedroom and had locked up the door in haste even if she wasn't sure if he was counscious or not after the hit. She opened the drawner and digged through it to find the burner phone that she bought a few days ago and locked herself inside of the closet as she dialed the 911 number with shaken fingers, in fear.

 _"San Jose Police Departement, how can we help?"_

" _Help, I need help!_ " She couldn't hold herself from yelling being terribly frightened despite the voice at the other line had stayed calm and patient as it followed.

 _"Hello, ma'am, what's your emergency?"_

" _My husband is trying to kill me!_ "

 _"Ma'am, calm down and tell me; what's going on? We can help you-"_

" _I've should have it done it sooner! I should have turn him in!_ "

 _"Who is him?"_

" _My husband, Carl Patrowaski-_ "

 _"Did he had tried to hurt you? or abuse you? Does he has an drug past?"_

" _Please sent the cops! Please sent anyone!_ "

 _"Give me your name and your address, ma'am and we would sent someone-"_

" _Regan Bennett, 134th Adams Lane-_ " Her breath got cut off in surprise as she felt an rope tied around her neck, feeling like she was chocking up or more like she was about to die from suffocating from not having much air. He dragged her out of the closet as she kept on moving her legs. Damn, he was still alive. She dropped off the phone on the floor as she held the cord with her both of her hands, gasping out for air. She heard him laugh at her ear.

" _Think you can get away from me, you little witch? Well you can always dream about it, sweetheart.._ "

" _Please, please.._ "

 _"Ma'am, ma'am, are you still there?"_

" _Calling someone, my dear wife?_ " She gasped in heavy and deeping breaths as he pressed harder to the cord which made things harder for her breathe, trying to fight his tightening hold.

" _Regan!_ " Oh God, it was Miguel's voice from the door. _"Are you there?"_ And Jeffrey, too? She must be dreaming as stars were starting to appear but also felt his fingers loosen up as she felt him turn around. This could be her chance.. _"What on earth-"_ With a elbow move from behind she backed him to his face. Even to hear his nose crack was quite of an enjoyment to hear. Carl fell down on the floor, holding his broken nose in pain as she sat up and jumped away from his body, when she felt the floor coming closer to her face. That man had no secrets when it comes to pain, feeling her ankle being grabbed from behind. Tears from fear were threatening to fall over on her face, as she tried crawl over the floor trying to run, despite being held by a monster. Regan felt hopeless as she cried in pain when he had grab an hold of her hair as he made her head rose up from the floor. He whispered to her ear, feeling the blood running down to his lips.

" _You think you can get away from me?_ "He brought his weight on her back as he squished her to the floor, making her stuck between the floor and him. And then she felt _it._ Her blood stopped to run through her veins, for a second. Regan shivered due to the cold contact tracing to her neck as her eyes widened into shock. He had a knife. When the other hand was slowly was pressing her buttocks through her jeans. Oh God, was he trying to rape her now?

" _You know what King Henry VIII did do to his second wife, that little slut Anne Boleyn? He made her lose her head and made her bleed into shame for her actions. You're about to get the same treatment that she had to go through.."_

Dying in shame. Regan held her breath together as she closed her eyes tight not allowing any tears to satisfy him by preparing for the blow to come, but she somehow hold onto Miguel's yelling her name loud enough coming through the hallway. He was close.

 _"Ask for forgiveness, dear wife and death would be spared.."_ And then, she found strength by thinking over Miguel of how she kept telling herself that she loved him, that she felt safe with him and he does treat her with respect and love.. He only could and not Carl, who just couldn't do it, because it wasn't in his nature of living.

Because he was a monster from the beggining, who managed to fool everyone, including her.

 _"No!"_ she elbowed him from behind and spun around so that she could face him..

Vincent and J.T just stood up here as they heard Regan telling her part of the story. A fairytale that went wrong. She continued by telling them that she fought over and over Carl, even scratching up his face, clawing and leaving marks on his face, once she had managed to turn over to face him, in anger. However, that raged man acted faster than she did though because he had rose up the knife and stabbed her over seven to ten times, of course she remembered. The blood. Everywhere was blood to her vision as she managed to escape her evil captor to run back into the living room in blood and scarred to death. Not carrying for any damn thing as she carried herself into Miguel and had lost consciouseness in his strong arms. Everything went black later on. EMT and cops came later on and took an very crittical bleeding but fighting Regan to the hospital while cops where searching for Carl who managed to destroy every object to the house with his blood and Regan's, marking their delusional moment so that everyone would know their story.

Alex had her treated with the very most precious care ever, Ash whom just had come out from prison had heard the news later on and bloodstains on both Miguel's and Jeff's clothes were enough for him to say that Carl had blown everything from that darkest and most horrble night.

When Regan woke up, a week later after the attack, she'd had to make a decision either to stay here or to move out, in order to survive and the scars would never let her forget about. First it was her aunt that told her to leave the city under a fake identity, but after hearing Alex's plead, she had known she had no choice but to leave and ask for help. Asking for Vincent's help.

And she identified her attacker to the cops, cause there was no way Carl could make it unnoticed anymore. He needed to be stopped, and if the cops couldn't do it, then Vincent might be able to do it.

 _"You're never gonna feel safe by staying here, when he's still around, Regan. You need to leave. Go back to NY, you'll feel safe out there than here.."_

 _"And who is this person?"_

 _"That man that came out at the news a few days ago. Vincent Keller.."_

And there she was today and before him demanding help from him. With her body scarred with scars still healing from the trauma. Vincent didn't knew what to say cause he was far too stunned to act.

"I thought that Alex was losing up her mind when she told me this, but after I've seen you on TV with that red haired heiress, I had second thoughts. Ash and Jeff refused that I go back here because of the mess and the fact that I was still recuperating with my injuries and that I'm still am. I took the plundge and went through with my gut.."had explained Regan after she stold the story, still refusing to look up at the shaken man standing before her.

"We did try to convinced her to stay, Big Guy, but she refused to listen to any of us after she took Alex's word."

"But what about Carl? Do you still think the departement at San Jose are, you know, still looking for him?" had asked J.T. still shaken as Ash replied back with a shrug.

"Could be, but I don't know, he fled away right after the cops had rushed to the appartement leaving the place into a huge mess. All in blood."

"My blood.." Regan's voice felt like she was fading away like a ghost. The ex-soldier shook his head as he tried to find his voice in all this, but couldn't even say a word as Miguel responsed back.

"That bastard had left his fingerprints everywhere at the place and still managed to run away before the police had got him."

"And you think, he's back here? Hoping to finish what he had started?" Vincent tried to understand from what he had learned after hearing Regan's bad fairytale.

"Maybe. Not only Regan is the target, this time, but the five of us might be.."had clearified Jeffrey who was still angry, but not as much as before. It was a dead end, they were all doomed here, including Vincent and J.T.

"It might be the end, Vincent, for all of us.." had followed Ash back at the bar counter. However Vincent who still remained in shock, didn't wanted to give in. It was no way that it would end in blood. "No, it's not, we can still fix this-Let's bring every evidence that we all have to the cops, I'm sure they re-open the case and stop Carl-"That was it. Ash just exploded now, he wanted to explode after keeping all these hard feelings to himself, after years and years, being used by his so-called friend, Carl, the drug user who manipulated all of them.

"And than what, Vince? What the cops are going to tell? They're going to open up an invastigation from the entire start, from how you entlisted to the army, how Regs and Carl had meet, how they fell for each other, got married and how she ignored the signs that he was in fact hurting her, by chosing drugs instead of her? How they're going to find out that you known about the fact he was using drugs the entire time and hadn't said a stupid and single word to any of us?" His brown eyes were burning in fury right back at Vincent who tried to keep things all together and nice for once. It was much of his fault than Ash could admit. Yes, he could have had said something, but after the towers got burned, things changed for Vincent.

"But you just said that you were trying to help-"

"I did denounced him, okay? And look what happened? I went to jail for being framed. My best friend did this, Vincent! Damn, you should've had seen my parents's look back then, man. They looked so disappointed in me and warned me about Carl's bad influence in me, all of us! Regan nearly died and for what? Because she choose her son over him whom Carl believed was a demon.." This time, he couldn't help with the tears that were threatening to fall on his cheeks.

"A demon named after you, Vincent.." Ash's voice broke when he had said this. The interested man just stared back at them, undefeated even if his own beating heart was in fact, defeated. He just couldn't face the truth.

"No. It just can't be..It can't end like this.."

"Well, it is. The next time might even be way worse than we know cause Carl isn't going to give up, now that he had found all of us.."

"Including the two of us.."had followed J.T.

"It's over. No cops or FBI can help us, we need to put an end to this.." had revealed Jeffrey back as J.T had seen more clear to his answer. He wasn't kidding, they planned to kill Carl?

"You're not asking that we're going to kill him, right?" Vincent just shook his head right back to Jeff. God, please don't let it become true.

"If there's no way to handle him anymore and even if he is dangerous to anybody, we'll have to end him, one way or another.." They were kidding right? They weren't thinking right-No, he just couldn't do it again. No, he didn't wanted to go on man hunting ever again when it had costed his relationship with the only woman who truly loved him before. Catherine hated him ever since he had choose his beast side from them. And now that he was struggling to find the man he once was before, everything exploded with Regan's story.

They were asking him to set up a kill and to stop a madman from themselves. He didn't wanted to do this, going and sidding back to the beast. He used to be manipulated by Reynolds before and nearly got killed, not to forget that Catherine had shot him, once even if it meant to stop him from doing the unrepearable. He didn't wanted to go back into the hunting kill. His beast side nearly drove him away, almost losing all humanity ending becoming a monster.

He didn't wanted to become a monster and they wanted him to join the group once more. The monster inside of him was fighting his way out, but the man in him kept him locked and why?

Because the man inside of him wanted Catherine, he needed her, the need of feeling her body carressing his own, the heat of love he desired so badly, was still in him. He wanted her back to him, to lock himself up to her hungry and beautiful eyes. To kiss her until the sun would rise up to the sky as they would make love again and again, till they were exhausted and laid together in bed as one. His heart ached to that thought. Vincent closed his eyes so tight,cringing as he was in pain,not because of an sudden headache, but for Catherine. He deserved that pain that she was still haunting him in his memories, despite that she wasn't here with him to guide him. He screwed everything and yet, he still loved her back and wanted her back to him.

But acting as a beast to stop a madman for the sake of his old friends, it just wasn't into his plans. He needed time to think about stopping Carl and it wasn't as acting like a beast that would make things better.

"Big Guy?" As he heard J.T.'s voice calling him up in worry, he rose back and looked up to see an very frightened Regan who covered her bare naked shoulders as she was about to cry again. Vincent didn't really wanted to give up on finding Catherine, but he couldn't let down Regan, after all those years being under the hands of a real monster who almost or more wanted to kill her. He made a decision.

Covering herself with her arms, Regan felt tears running down to her cheeks not even carrying if they brought shame to the faces of the other people into the room. Nobody had the courage to come over. Nobody, except.

"Regan.."

Vincent.

She stepped back trying to avoid him, but he only kept coming more closer to her. She could hear his footsteps coming towards her. She shook her head as her long blond hair were hiding her red eyes from crying.

"Just go away.."

"Don't fight it, come on.."His voice just broke. He really wanted to help her after all that time.

"Vincent, please don't look up at me, please.." The last thing she wanted was someone like him pitying her, but he didn't wanted to give up as he followed back.

"Then, open your arms to me..Let me help you." Without waiting for answer from her, he went up to her and embraced her into a tight hug, not as lovers, but more to friend from a friend seeking for comfort. Being careful of her still healing scars that marked her body. Regan hesitated before putting his arms around him. "I'm so sorry.." Damn, she could hear his heart racing so fast inside of his muscular chest. She could feel that he was both afraid and reassuring as he held her. His lips near to her ear as she felt his breathing. He sighed.

"It's okay, Regs. We'll find a way out. Don't worry.."His voice was so reassuring so nice and deep that would have had made her shiver like once before, but didn't had the same feeling anymore. A part of her was dead, thanks to her husband, but another was relieved because of the friends she still had here. Miguel was here as well with Ash, Jeffrey and J.T. And most of all, Vincent was here and into her arms, telling her that everything would be fine as he carressed the back of her head, like a child. He was back and he would be by her side, helping her to find her way back. To her and to her son, by making her feel safe here and free from all.

Regan had finally put her arms around his back and hugged him back, with so much strength, as she had bursted into uncontrolling sobs when an patient and silent Vincent was rubbing her back as he let her soaking up his shirt. He closed up his eyes, as he tried to control himself from the wanting of falling down too. Regan needed his support, so bursting into tears wouldn't help anything at all. The need of wanting Catherine was still here, but he had to save Regan from a madman, as well.

But how is he gonna to do it? Without falling into the deepest dark side of the beast, again?

...

 **That was a shocking chapter.**

 **Shit, that was the most hardest and tiring chapter to finish. It was hard to describe the attack and almost rape scene with Regan and Carl. Please, if you see someone that goes through a very bad and violent relationship, please go and seek for help.**

 **Okay, Catherine started to do the undercover work and noticed that not only she has to protect the girls, but also gonna to attack them, to teach them a lesson to not desobey any rule, would she go through it? Or would she fall into the dark side of the black market of prostitution?**

 **Medina's invastigation is still going on and wants to know more of it, now that not only Gabe has something to do with it, but also with Vincent and Catherine's deal into it. Tori doesn't know who to turn onto now. And Regan wants Vincent's help to stop her husband and that's without the police. Would he accept the offer? He wouldn't want to go under the run, again. Now that he is a public figure to the city. And he wouldn't risk it again, if he ever wants to earn Cat's trust once more. Thank you for your support beasties! And I wish you a great happy Easter!**

 **Please update!**


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